Plant Evolution and Algae

These flashcards cover key concepts related to plant evolution and the various divisions of algae, including their characteristics, types of reproduction, and contributions to ecosystems.

Algae

Photosynthetic, nonvascular aquatic plants that serve as primary producers in aquatic ecosystems.

Thallus

A large, flat multicellular form associated with algae.

Isogametes

Gametes that are identical in form.

Heterogametes

Gametes that differ in form, typically involving a large non-motile egg and small motile sperm.

Rhodophyta

Red algae known for their reddish plastids called rhodoplasts; many are haploid and exhibit alternation of generations.

Agar

A gelatinous substance extracted from red algae, commonly used in food products.

Phaeophyta

Brown algae, mostly marine, that exhibit alternation of generations and contain chlorophyll a and c.

Fucoxanthin

A pigment responsible for the brown or olive-drab color of brown algae.

Chlorophyta

Green algae that share photosynthetic pigments and cell wall chemistry with land plants.

Chlamydomonas

A motile unicellular green alga that has two flagella and a cup-shaped chloroplast.

Volvox

A colonial alga consisting of hollow clusters of identical cells, capable of asexual reproduction.

Oedogonium

A filamentous green alga that reproduces both asexually and sexually, forming thick-walled zygotes.

Spirogyra

A filamentous green alga characterized by spiraling chloroplasts and sexual reproduction through conjugation.

Charophyta

Stoneworts and Brittleworts, often linked to the transition between green algae and land plants.