Plant Diversity and Characteristics

Chapters 20-22

Kingdom Plantae
Photosynthetic eukaryotes Autotrophs Contains chlorophyll and chloroplast Use starch and glucose as food Cell walls with cellulose Multicellular
Plant life began in the water and became adapted to land. Plants have adaptations that allow them to live on land. A cuticle is a waxy, waterproof layer that allows plants to retain moisture. Stomata are tiny holes in the cuticle that can open and close to allow air and water to move in and out of leaf (transpiration). Guard cells surround each stomata. Stomata open and close when guard cells change shape. When stomata are open, water evaporates and gas exchanges. Stomata close at night and when plant loses too much water.

stomata guard cells stomata

Leaves absorb light and carry out photosynthesis.

The blade is usually broad and flat. collects sunlight for photosynthesis connects to the stem by a petiole Plants can respond to light, touch, gravity, and seasonal changes
Phototropism is the tendency of a plant to grow toward light.
petiole blade

Leaves have many adaptations.

For extreme temperatures, example: pine needles For getting food, example: Venus flytrap For aquatic environments, example: water lily For water loss, example: cactus spines

Roots anchor plants and absorb mineral nutrients from soil.

support the plant absorb, transport, and store nutrients root hairs help absorption

There are 2 main types of roots.

Fibrous root systems have fine branches. Taproot systems have one main root. Examples: Radish and Carrot

Fibrous root

Taproot

Stems support plants, transport materials, and provide storage.

Stems have many functions. support leaves and flowers house most of the vascular system store water grow underground for glucose storage form new plants Tree rings help determine the age of a tree.
What is a vascular system? A vascular system transports water, minerals and sugars from the roots to the leaves and vice versa. 2 networks of hollow tubes makeup the vascular system: 1. Xylem transports water and minerals from roots to the leaves 2. Phloem transports photosynthetic products from leaves to roots
Potato tubers

Strawberry stolons

Cactus

Mosses and their relatives are seedless nonvascular plants.

Nonvascular plants grow close to the ground to absorb water and nutrients. Seedless plants rely on freestanding water for reproduction.

Club mosses and ferns are seedless vascular plants.

A vascular system allows club mosses and ferns to grow higher off the ground. Both need free-standing water for reproduction.
not true mosses oldest living group of vascular plants

Seed plants include Gymnosperms (cone-bearing plants) and Angiosperms (flowering plants).
Seed plants have several advantages over their seedless ancestors.
can reproduce without free-standing water, via pollination pollination occurs when pollen meets female plantparts seeds nourish and protect plant embryo seeds allow plants to disperse to new places

 Pollen grains allow for reproduction without freestanding water.

-animals feed

on pollen or nectar -pollen is spread from plant to plant in process. -pollen can be carried by wind or animals to female structures

A seed is a storage device for a plant embryo. seed coats protect embryos from drying wind and sunlight

Plant life cycles alternate between producing spores and gametes.

A two-phase life cycle is called alternation of generations. haploid phase diploid phase alternates between the two
SPOROPHYTE PHASE fertilization meiosis GAMETOPHYTE PHASE

 Gymnosperms do not have seeds enclosed in fruit.

most gymnosperms are cone-bearing and evergreen. the cone is reproductive structure of most gymnosperms. pollen is produced in male cones. eggs are produced in female cones. seeds develop on scales of female cones. includes pines, spruce, cedar, fir, and juniper

 Angiosperms have seeds enclosed in some type of fruit.

A flower is the reproductive structure of angiosperms. A fruit is a ripened mature ovary of a flower. It surrounds and protects seeds. Fruit allows for efficient seed dispersal because sweet aromas attract animals. Seeds get dispersed in feces.

Reproduction of flowering plants takes place within flowers. Flowers contain reproductive organs protected by specialized leaves

Sepals and petals are modified leaves.

Sepals are outermost layer that protects developing flower Petals can help to attract animal pollinators with color

petal sepal

 A stamen is the male structure of the flower.

stamen filament anther

1. 2.

Anther- top of stamen, releases pollen Filament- stalk attaching anther to stem

 The innermost layer of a flower is the female carpel.

stigma style ovary

carpel

stigma is sticky top of pistil for pollen to be deposited style is tube leading from stigma to ovary ovary contains ovule, where eggs are found Ovule will become seeds if fertilized The surrounding ovary grows into a fruit.

Seeds disperse and begin to grow when conditions are favorable.

Animals, wind, and water can spread seeds.

Seeds dispersed by animals can have nutritious fruits or fruits that cling. Seeds dispersed by water can have fruits that float. Seeds dispersed by wind can have wing- or parachutelike fruits.

Seeds begin to grow when environmental conditions are favorable.

Seed dormancy is a state in which the embryo has stopped growing.
Dormancy may end when conditions are favorable. While dormant, embryo can withstand extreme conditions.

 Germination begins the growth of an embryo into a seedling. Once photosynthesis begins, the plant is called a seedling.

Plants can produce genetic clones of themselves through asexual reproduction. Plants can reproduce asexually with stems, leaves, or roots.

Regeneration is one type of asexual reproduction. plants grow a new individual from fragment of parent occurs when piece of a stem, leaf, or root falls off parent plant Humans can produce plants with Vegetative desirable traits using vegetative reproduction is propagation. Cutting of leaves or another type of stems may grow new roots. asexual reproduction. Stems, leaves, or roots attached to parent plant produce new individual.

Botanists classify flowering plants into two groups based on seed type.
1. Monocots have a single cotyledon (seed leaf).
leaf veins usually parallel flower parts usually in multiples of 3 bundles of vascular tissue scattered in stem

2. Dicots have two cotyledons (seed leaves).

leaf veins usually netlike flower parts usually in multiples of 4 or 5 bundles of vascular tissue in rings in stem

Flowering plants are also categorized by stem type and lifespan.

Stem type can be woody or herbaceous.
Wood is a fibrous material made up of dead cells. Wood has high concentrations of lignin and cellulose. Stems are rigid.
Oak

Iris

Herbaceous plants do not produce wood.

 There are 3 types of plant life spans

Annuals mature and die in one year.

Biennials take two

years to compete life cycle.

Perennials live more than two years.

 Plants and other organisms can share a mutualistic relationship.

a mutualism is an interaction in which two species benefit plant roots and certain fungi and bacteria flowering plants and their animal pollinators

 Plants have adaptations that prevent animals from eating them.

spines and thorns

defensive chemicals

Humans rely on plants in many ways. Agriculture provides stable food supplies for people in permanent settlements.
People started planting for harvest about 10,000 years ago. wild species tamed through artificial selection farming requires people to stay in one place

Botany is the study of plants.

Plant products are important economic resources.

Plant products have been traded for thousands of years.
spices commonly used as currency in Middle Ages

Plant products contribute to economy on a global scale today.

grains, coffee, sugar, cotton, forest products billions of dollars of plant products traded each year

Plant compounds are essential to modern medicine.

Pharmacology is the study of drugs and their effects on the body. Many drugs are derived from plants.
Salicin from willow trees is used in aspirin. Alkaloids are potent plant chemicals that contain nitrogen. Alkaloids such as taxol have anti-cancer properties.

Some medical research focuses on properties of plant compounds.

studies plants used medicinally in traditional cultures develop synthetic drugs based on plant compounds