Plant Basics

1
Plant Basics

• Plants are multicellular photosynthetic
  eukaryotes
• 4 Major groups
• Nonvascular plants
• Seedless vascular plants
• Gymnosperms
• Angiosperms

2
Nonvascular Plants

• Simplest of all land dwelling plant
• They lack an internal means for water
  transportation
• They also do not produce seeds or flowers
• They generally only reach a height of 1-2 cms,
  because they lack the woody tissue necessary for
  support on land
• Example - mosses

3
Seedless Vascular Plants

• They have developed a vascular structure that
  permits the transport of water and nutrients
• They do not reproduce by seeds - they are
  "seedless" because they reproduce by means of
  spores
• Example - ferns

4
Gymnosperms

• Gymnosperms (literally, "naked seed") are a
  group of vascular plants whose seeds are borne in
  cones and are not visible
• These cones, however, are not the same as fruits
• Example - Cone-bearing plants (conifers)

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Angiosperms

• The angiosperms (seed in a vessel) are
  vascular plants whose seeds are enclosed by a
  ripened ovary (fruit)
• A flower is a reproductive structure that
  attracts pollinators and gives rise to the fruits
  that contain seeds
• Example - Flowering plants

6
Angiosperms

• Flowering plants are divided into 2 groups,
  depending on the number of cotyledons (seed
  leaves)
• Cotyledons provide nutrient molecules for
  seedlings before true leaves begin
  photosynthesizing
• Some plants have one cotyledon (monocotyledon,
  or monocot), while others have 2 cotyledons
  (dicotyledon, or dicots).

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Monocots

• Vascular tissue (xylem phloem) in a ring in
  the root
• Vascular bundles scattered in stem
• Leaf veins form a parallel pattern
• Flower parts in threes and multiples of three
• Examples - grasses, lilies, orchids, palm trees
• Some of our most significant food sources are
  monocots (rice, wheat, corn)

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Dicots

• Root xylem between arms of phloem
• Vascular bundles in a distinct ring in stem
• Leaf veins form a net pattern
• Flower parts in fours, fives, and multiples of 4
  and 5
• Larger group with most familiar plants
• Examples - dandelions to oak trees