Lab Practical

Lab 4: Ferns & Bryophytes

Be familiar with the following terms:

    Nonvascular Plants

·       Water transport is dependent on osmosis and diffusion which limits the overall size these plants can grow. 

o    Mosses have very primitive water transport conduits.

§  No vascular system in place for bryophytes (lack of xylem and phloem)

§  Group called bryophytes (hornworts and liverworts, mosses)

·       Phyla Anthocerophyta, Hepaticophyta, and Bryophyta

o   No seeds just spores

·       Bryophytes have a sporic life cycle.

o   Sporic Life cycle Broken down:

§   sporophyte & gametophyte of bryophytes are conspicuous (you can easily see them).

§  gametophyte is the dominant life cycle stage in bryophytes.

·       gametophyte is present longer and larger than the sporophyte. 

o   gametophytes are very low & near the water surface so that flagellated sperm may swim from the antheridium to the archegonium. 

Terms to remember:

·       Gametangia- a specialized organ or cell in which gametes are formed (houses the anteridum and archegonia)

·       Anteridium-reproductive structure of nonvascular plants that produces sperm through mitosis

·        Archegonium- reproductive structure of nonvascular plants produces eggs through the same process (mitosis)

o   When the sperm fertilizes the egg, the embryo forms within the archegonium and will develop into the sporophyte. 

·       Sporangia/ Sporangium   - specialized organ structure that creates spores (haploid cells) through meiosis

o   The spores will be released, germinate, and then begin growing into the gametophyte. 

·       Spores-a haploid reproductive cell/gamete which gives rise to the gametophyte

Be familiar with the moss/Bryophyte life cycle

·       Know the steps of the life where it starts and how it ends and restarts again

·       Know what kind of method/way pollination occurs

o   Water pollination

·       Know the structures that play a role in the moss life cycle

o   Gametangia

o   Antheridia/Antheridium

o   Archegonia/Archegonium

o   Sporangium

o   Spores

o   What is the gametophyte stage (fully germinated moss plant) and sporophyte stage (moss plant with sporangium)

§  Know which is diploid (2n) (sporophyte) (moss plant w/sporangium)

§  Know which is haploid (1n/n) (gametophyte)(fully germinated moss plant)

Nonvascular Plants:

·       Be familiar with each nonvascular plant specimen (both in slide and live specimen form)

·       Know what phyla they belong to

·       Know any reproductive structure associated with the phyla specimen

o   All information that you need to study for nonvascular plants will be in the following pages

Phyla Bryophyta

·       Regular Moss

·       Be able to identify the parts of the moss

Phyla Anthocerophyta

•Hornworts

•Be able to recognize this nonvascular plant as a hornwort and name it if given an image or live specimen

Phyla Hepaticophyta

•Liverwort

•Be able to recognize this nonvascular plant as a liverwort and name it if given an image or live specimen

Be familiar with the following terms and concepts:

    Seedless Vascular Plants

·       Phyla Pterophyte and Lycophyta: plants that have a vascular system but lack the ability to make seeds. 

o   The seedless vascular plants have xylem and phloem

§  Xylem-vascular tissue that helps to transport water and nutrients

§  Phloem- vascular tissue that helps transport food throughout the plant

o    Sporic life cycle (alternation of generations). 

·       The dominant, conspicuous phase of their life cycle is the sporophyte and the sporophyte and gametophyte can live independently of each other

o   Be familiar with fern cycle and know that it is a sporic life cycle  

o   Be familiar with how the cycle starts, ends and restarts

·       Terms to know and parts to identify on fern models or pictures:

o   Prothallium (prothallia)- fern gametophyte that is a small, heart-shaped structure and must be near water as the antheridium of the prothallia produces flagellated sperm which must swim to the archegonium.   

o   Mature Sporophyte- adult fern plant

o   Frond- a large leaf (especially of a palm or fern) usually with many divisions

o   Rhizome- a modified subterranean plant stem that sends out roots and shoots from its nodes. Rhizomes are also called creeping rootstalks or just rootstalks.

o   Petiole- the stalk that joins a leaf to a stem; leafstalk.

o   Fiddlehead- The coiled young frond of any of various ferns, some of which are considered a delicacy when cooked. Also called crosier.

o   Simpler fern leaf-a leaf whose blade is not divided to the midrib even though lobed — compare compound leaf.

o   Compound fern leaf- a leaf in which the blade is divided to the midrib, forming two or more distinct blades or leaflets on a common axis, the leaflets themselves occasionally being compound — compare palmate, pinnate, simple leaf.

o   Pinnae- A leaflet or primary segment of a pinnate compound leaf.

o   Pinnules- a leaflet of a bipinnate leaf; Any of the ultimate leaflets of a bipinnate or tripinnate leaf; a sub-leaflet.

o   Rachis- a stem of a plant, especially a grass, bearing flower stalks at short intervals.

o   Sporangia- structure found on the underside an adult fern sporophyte leaf that produces haploid spores through meiosis 

o   Sori (sorus)- Clusters of sporangia of ferns are grouped together, which are found on the underside of the frond. 

o   Annulus- The ring of differentially thickened cells that encircles the sporangium of certain ferns. It aids spore dispersal by inducing tension in the sporangial wall as the water in its cells evaporates.

o   Indusium - structure that protects the sori (cluster of sporangia)

o   Rhizoids- part of the fern gametophyte that anchors the gametophyte to the soil

o   Rootlets- part of fern sporophyte for anchorage and absorption

Phyla Pterophyta

·       Ferns (regular house hold ferns)

·       Be able to identify the fern parts in either picture form or live specimen

Fern Gametophyte: be able to identify the archegonia, Antheridia, Rhizoids, young sporophyte (better seen on model), prothallium (better seen on model)   

Fern Sporophyte: Be able to identify fern parts

Phyla Lycophyta

•Clubmoss

•Be able to recognize this seedless vascular plant as a clubmoss and name it if given an image or live specimen

Lab 5: Higher Plants-Form and functions (Gymnosperms & Angiosperms) Part 1 Gymnosperms

Be familiar with the following terms and concepts:

·       Advent of a vascular system & the ability to move water from the roots to the top of the plant, enabled some species to grow to a much larger size & be further away from their water source. 

·       More ecological niches were available to plants with vascular tissue & they flourished more than non-vascular plants, which were limited to more wetland areas closer to ground water sources.

·       Features of Vascular Plants:

o   Have vascular tissues

§  Xylem- vascular tissue that transports water and nutrients

§  Phloem- vascular tissue that transports food

o   Produce seeds

§  Seed-a plant embryo packaged with a food supply within a protective covering

o   Produce pollen that contain sperms

§  pollen carries sperms to the ovary that contains the egg

·       Sperms of seed plants have no flagella

·       Seed Anatomy:

§  Embryo- a young plant sporophyte that is diploid

§  Endosperm-a food source for the developing embryo

§  Seed Coat- A protective cover that is resistant to desiccation (being dried out).

§   Cotyledon- Some seeds have leaf-like structures which act as additional food sources

·       These are needed as the embryo can sometimes use up all of the endosperm during early developmental stages through photosynthesis. 

·       With the development of seeds, we start to categorize or group vascular plants with seeds into two different groups: Angiosperms and Gymnosperms

o   Gymnosperms - non flowering plants; Naked seeds (seeds exposed, seeds on top of cone scales)

o   Angiosperms -flowering plants; Seeds enclosed (seeds inside fruits)

Gymnosperms

·       Gymnosperm Seed develop in two ways:

o   On the surface of cones

o   At the end of short stalks

·       Reproductive Structure Classifications  

o   Monoecious- Many gymnosperms have both male and female reproductive structures on different parts on the same plant.

o   Dioecious- Other gymnosperm types, like cycads, have male & female plant reproductive structures in separate individual plants (male version plant and female version plant)

·       There are four phyla that make up the gymnosperms:

o   Coniferophyta- Pine trees and other conifer trees

o   Cycadophyta- Cycads (“sago palm”)

o   Gnetophyta- Welwitschia, Gnetum, & Ephedra (Ma-Huang)

o   Ginkgophyta- Ginkgo biloba (maidenhair tree)

Gymnosperm Vascular Plants with phyla information:

•Be familiar with each gymnosperm vascular plant specimen (picture form, except for conifer both in slides and picture)

•Know what phyla they belong to and any facts listed on the PowerPoint image provided (bullet points on slides)

•Know any reproductive structure associated with the phyla specimen, i.e. conifer cones

Male Pine Cone Cross Section

Female Pine Cone Cross Section

Pine tree sporic life cycle:

Lab 5: Higher Plants-Form and functions (Gymnosperms & Angiosperms) Part 2 Angiosperms

·       Angiosperms are so named because their ovule is completely covered by sporophyte tissue after fertilization (not “naked”) (Angiosperm = angio (vessel) + sperma (seed)).

·       Key Characteristics of Angiosperms:

o   Seeds are enclosed in a matured ovary or fruit

o   Growth habits: herbs, shrubs, trees, vines

o   Most successful plants because of the flowers and fruits /seeds

o   Support human livelihood and ecosystems

·       Angiosperms make up the vast majority of the plant species

o   B/C reproduction is less wasteful than that of gymnosperms. 

o   Angiosperms use flowers to attract insect which carry the pollen to another flower of the same species (animal pollination) 

§  cooperation between the animal kingdoms and plants is the single most important reason for the vast diversity of angiosperms we see today.

o   Angiosperms are further broken down into two categories (based on a certain number of cotyledons)

§  Monocot- angiosperm with a single cotyledon

·       include major grains (maize, rice and wheat) and flowers (orchids, tulip and lilies), as well as palm trees

§  Dicot/Eudicot- angiosperm with double cotyledons (dicot/eudicots). 

·       many familiar fruits (for example, apple, orange, and melons), beans, nuts (walnut and chestnut), vegetables (for example, tomato, lettuce, and cabbage), spices and flowers (roses and carnations)

Angiosperm flower Parts

·       Receptacle (the base)- thickened part of a stem from which the flower organs grow.

·       Sepals (outermost whorl, modified leaves)- leaf-like; mostly green; may be different. They provide protection of developing floral parts (flower bud).

·       Petals- leaf-like, broad, usually brightly colored; maybe different types and arrangements. Provide additional protection to reproductive parts of the flower and attract insects to facilitate pollination.

·       Pollen Sac-male plant structure that houses the pollen (pollen grains)

·       Pollen (pollen grain)- male gametophyte that contains the male gametes (sperm cells)

·       Stamen (the “male” portion of the flower)- male reproductive part of the flower, which is composed of anther and filament. Also called androecium.

·       Filament- holds the anther in suitable position to disperse pollen.

·       Anther (the “male” portion of the flower)- produces and contains the pollen.

·       Carpel (the “female” part)- composed of stigma, style and ovary.

·       Ovary (fatter portion at the bottom)- contains the ovules.

·       Style (long slender tube)- connects the stigma to the ovary.

·       Stigma (the sticky part at the top of the style)- it is sticky; receives the pollen grains, secretes sugary liquid to stimulate pollen grains to germinate.

Plant Tissue Systems

·       Know the functions of the Plant tissue system (ground, dermal, and vascular) and their corresponding cells and their functions.

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