CHAPTER 12: INTRODUCTION TO PLANTS
OBJECTIVE: Investigate the diversity of living organisms and how they can be compared scientifically.
SECTION 1 Vocabulary: What IS A PLANT?
* NON-VASCULAR PLANTS- the three groups of plants( liverworts, hornworts, and mosses) that lack specialized conducting tissues and true roots, stems, and leaves.
* VASCULAR PLANTS- a plant that has specialized tissues that conduct materials from one part of the plant to another.
* GYMNOSPERM- a woody, vascular seed plant whose seeds are not enclosed by an ovary or fruit.
* ANGIOSPERM- a flowering plant that produces seeds within a fruit.
SECTION 1 Summary: WHAT IS A PLANT?
- Plants come in many shapes and sizes, but all plants produce their food through photosynthesis, have a cuticle, have cell walls, and have two stages in their life cycle. Plants produce their food through photosynthesis using their plant cells' chloroplasts that captures energy from the sun's rays. Cuticles are the waxy layer that protect and cover the plant so that the plant won't dry out. Cell walls help the plant stand upright and it protects the plant. Plants have two stages in their life cycle, sporophyte and gametophyte. During the sporophyte stage, the plants make spores to reproduce. During the gametopyhte stage, female gametophytes produce eggs and male gametophytes produce sperms. Though plants all share those basic characteristics, they can be further classified into four different groups. The first group is vascular and non-vascular. Vascular plants have tubes that transport food and nutrients to all the different cells in the plant. That is one of the things that make vascular and non-vascular plants different. There are two types of vascular plants, gymnosperms and angiosperms. Gymnosperms are the nonflowering seed plants and angiosperms are the flowering seed plants.
SECTION 1 Vocabulary: What IS A PLANT?
* NON-VASCULAR PLANTS- the three groups of plants( liverworts, hornworts, and mosses) that lack specialized conducting tissues and true roots, stems, and leaves.
* VASCULAR PLANTS- a plant that has specialized tissues that conduct materials from one part of the plant to another.
* GYMNOSPERM- a woody, vascular seed plant whose seeds are not enclosed by an ovary or fruit.
* ANGIOSPERM- a flowering plant that produces seeds within a fruit.
SECTION 1 Summary: WHAT IS A PLANT?
- Plants come in many shapes and sizes, but all plants produce their food through photosynthesis, have a cuticle, have cell walls, and have two stages in their life cycle. Plants produce their food through photosynthesis using their plant cells' chloroplasts that captures energy from the sun's rays. Cuticles are the waxy layer that protect and cover the plant so that the plant won't dry out. Cell walls help the plant stand upright and it protects the plant. Plants have two stages in their life cycle, sporophyte and gametophyte. During the sporophyte stage, the plants make spores to reproduce. During the gametopyhte stage, female gametophytes produce eggs and male gametophytes produce sperms. Though plants all share those basic characteristics, they can be further classified into four different groups. The first group is vascular and non-vascular. Vascular plants have tubes that transport food and nutrients to all the different cells in the plant. That is one of the things that make vascular and non-vascular plants different. There are two types of vascular plants, gymnosperms and angiosperms. Gymnosperms are the nonflowering seed plants and angiosperms are the flowering seed plants.
VASCULAR PLANT: DAISY
This is a non-vascular plant: a daisy. Daisy's can photosynthesize and cell walls cover all their cells.
SECTION 2 Vocabulary: SEEDLESS PLANTS
* RHIZOID- a root like structure in the non-vascular plants that holds the plants in place and helps the plants get water and nutrients.
* RHIZOME- a horizontal, underground stem that produces new leaves, shoots and roots.
SECTION 2 Summary: SEEDLESS PLANTS
- There are three types of non-vascular, seedless plants; mosses, liverworts, and hornworts. Mosses often live in large groups and they usually have leafy stalks and rhizoids, which helps the plant get water and nutrients. Mosses have two stages in their life cycle; sporophyte and gametophyte. Liverworts and hornworts are small and are also seedless plants that live in very damp places. The gametophytes of liverworts can be leafy and mosslike or they can be be broad and flattened. The gametophytes of hornworts are usually broad and flattened as well. Non-vascular, seedless plants are important because they are usually the first plants to live in a newly exposed environment, like a rock,and when the plant dies, it forms a new layer of soil. New plants can then grow in the soil and if non-vascular plants grow there, their roots will prevent soil erosion. There are also three types of vascular seedless plants; ferns, horsetails and club mosses. Ferns are vascular,seedless plants that live in the most wildest places from the arctic to the tropical forest. Horsetails are small and grow in wet, marshy places. Horsetails' stems are hallow and contain silica, which gives it their gritty texture. Club mosses grow in woodlands and aren't actually mosses, because unlike mosses, club mosses have vascular tissue. Vascular, seedless plants are important to the environment because the vascular plants that died about one thousand years ago are made into coal which we humans use for energy.
* RHIZOID- a root like structure in the non-vascular plants that holds the plants in place and helps the plants get water and nutrients.
* RHIZOME- a horizontal, underground stem that produces new leaves, shoots and roots.
SECTION 2 Summary: SEEDLESS PLANTS
- There are three types of non-vascular, seedless plants; mosses, liverworts, and hornworts. Mosses often live in large groups and they usually have leafy stalks and rhizoids, which helps the plant get water and nutrients. Mosses have two stages in their life cycle; sporophyte and gametophyte. Liverworts and hornworts are small and are also seedless plants that live in very damp places. The gametophytes of liverworts can be leafy and mosslike or they can be be broad and flattened. The gametophytes of hornworts are usually broad and flattened as well. Non-vascular, seedless plants are important because they are usually the first plants to live in a newly exposed environment, like a rock,and when the plant dies, it forms a new layer of soil. New plants can then grow in the soil and if non-vascular plants grow there, their roots will prevent soil erosion. There are also three types of vascular seedless plants; ferns, horsetails and club mosses. Ferns are vascular,seedless plants that live in the most wildest places from the arctic to the tropical forest. Horsetails are small and grow in wet, marshy places. Horsetails' stems are hallow and contain silica, which gives it their gritty texture. Club mosses grow in woodlands and aren't actually mosses, because unlike mosses, club mosses have vascular tissue. Vascular, seedless plants are important to the environment because the vascular plants that died about one thousand years ago are made into coal which we humans use for energy.
MOSSES,LIVERWORTS, AND HORNWORTS
This is a picture of a moss, liverworts, and hornworts. Mosses are non-vascular, seedless plants that cover rocks and large amounts of ground. They are usually small so that their rhizoids can get to all of the plant. Liverworts and hornworts are non-vascular seedles plants that usually live in damp places.
SECTION 3 Vocabulary: SEED PLANTS
* POLLEN- the tiny granules that contain the male gametophytes of seed plants.
* POLLINATION- the transfer of pollen from the male reproductive system to the female structures of seed plants.
SECTION 3 Summary: SEED PLANTS
- Seed plants are different from seedless plants because seed plants produce seeds, the gametophytes of seed plants do not live independently of the sporophyte, for the gametophytes of seed plants are tiny and the gametophyte form within the reproductive structures of the sporophyte. The third difference is the sperm of seed plants don't need water to get to the female eggs. The seeds of the seed plants have three parts. The first is young plant, or the sporophyte. The second is the food stored in the cotyledon and the third is the seed coat, which protects the seed. There are tow different types of seed plants, gymnosperms and angiosperms. Gymnosperms don't have flowering plants, there seeds are usually in cones. There are four types of gymnosperms; conifers, ginkgoes, cycads, and gnetophytes. Conifers are the most economically friendly and the biggest group of gymnosperms. Most conifers are evergreens that keep their needle-shaped leaves all year. Ginkgoes only have one living species today, the ginkgo tree. Ginkgo seeds aren't produced in cones, they are produced in fleshy seed coats. Cycads plants grow in the tropics and they produce cones to protect their seeds. The last type of gymnosperm is gnetophyte, these plants are usually shrubs that grow in dry areas. Gametophytes use cones to reproduce. The male cones use wind or animals to spread their pollen. The pollen then reaches the female cones, then the male's pollen fertilizes the females eggs. There are also types of angiosperms only there is two; monocots and dicots. Monocots usually have three parts, have one cotyledon, their leaves usually have parallel veins and their vascular tissue is scattered. Dicots are usually in four or five parts, have two cotyledons, their leaves have branching veins, and their vascular tissue is in a ring. Angiosperms reproduce using their flowers. The flowers attract bees and other animals so that they will spread the pollen.
* POLLEN- the tiny granules that contain the male gametophytes of seed plants.
* POLLINATION- the transfer of pollen from the male reproductive system to the female structures of seed plants.
SECTION 3 Summary: SEED PLANTS
- Seed plants are different from seedless plants because seed plants produce seeds, the gametophytes of seed plants do not live independently of the sporophyte, for the gametophytes of seed plants are tiny and the gametophyte form within the reproductive structures of the sporophyte. The third difference is the sperm of seed plants don't need water to get to the female eggs. The seeds of the seed plants have three parts. The first is young plant, or the sporophyte. The second is the food stored in the cotyledon and the third is the seed coat, which protects the seed. There are tow different types of seed plants, gymnosperms and angiosperms. Gymnosperms don't have flowering plants, there seeds are usually in cones. There are four types of gymnosperms; conifers, ginkgoes, cycads, and gnetophytes. Conifers are the most economically friendly and the biggest group of gymnosperms. Most conifers are evergreens that keep their needle-shaped leaves all year. Ginkgoes only have one living species today, the ginkgo tree. Ginkgo seeds aren't produced in cones, they are produced in fleshy seed coats. Cycads plants grow in the tropics and they produce cones to protect their seeds. The last type of gymnosperm is gnetophyte, these plants are usually shrubs that grow in dry areas. Gametophytes use cones to reproduce. The male cones use wind or animals to spread their pollen. The pollen then reaches the female cones, then the male's pollen fertilizes the females eggs. There are also types of angiosperms only there is two; monocots and dicots. Monocots usually have three parts, have one cotyledon, their leaves usually have parallel veins and their vascular tissue is scattered. Dicots are usually in four or five parts, have two cotyledons, their leaves have branching veins, and their vascular tissue is in a ring. Angiosperms reproduce using their flowers. The flowers attract bees and other animals so that they will spread the pollen.
GINKGO TREE, A GYMNOSPERM
This is a picture of a ginkgo, the last species of the group ginkgoes.
SECTION 4 Vocabulary: STRUCTURES OF SEED PLANTS
* XYLEM- the type of tissue in vascular plants that provides support and conducts water and nutrients from the roots.
* PHLOEM- the tissue that conducts food in vascular plants.
* SEPAL- in a flower, one of the outermost rings of modified leaves that protect the flower bud.
* PETAL- one of the ring or rings of the usually brightly colored, leaf shaped parts of a flower.
* STAMEN- the male reproductive structure of a flower that produces pollen and consists of an anther at the tip of a filament.
* PISTIL- the female reproductive part of a flower that produces seeds and consists of an ovary, style, and stigma.
* OVARY- in flowering plants, the lower part of a pistil that produces eggs in the ovules.
SECTION 4 Summary: STRUCTURES OF SEED PLANTS
- There are usually four parts to the seed plants; roots, stems, leaves, and flowers. The roots of the plant can grow to be as long as the plant itself. The three functions of roots are that roots provide the plant with the water and dissolved minerals it needs, the water and the dissolved minerals from the xylem. The second function is that roots hold the plant in the ground, and the third is that roots store surplus food during photosynthesis. The food is made in the leaves and then it is transported to the phloem of the roots and is stored as sugar or starch. The substance that covers the root is called an epidermis. Some cells in the epidermis extend from the root, which helps the root get more water and nutrients. Roots grow at the tips, for there is slimy substance at the end of the root to help it dig deeper into the ground. There are two types of root systems; the taproot system and the fibrous system. The taproot system has on big root that grows downward and has smaller roots branching from it. Taproots can reach water deep down in the ground and dicots and gymnosperms usually have the taproot system. The fibrous system has several roots branching out and usually gets water near the soils surface. Monocots usually have the fibrous system. Stems vary greatly in shape and size, for some are big and brown, and some are small and thin. The three functions of a stem are that stems support the plant body, transport materials between the root system and the shoot system, and some stems store materials. There are two types of stems, herbaceous and woody stems.Herbaceous stems are soft, flexible, and thin. Woody stems are made of wood and bark. Clovers and poppies have herbaceous stems and trees and trees and shrubs have woody stems. Leaves usually make the plant food during the process of photosynthesis. Leaves have many layers. The first layer is a cuticle and under that is the upper epidermis. Under that is a paliside and below that is the spongy layer, where the xylem and phloem can be found. The lower epidermis and the bottom cuticle is found under that. Some leaves are shaped as spines. Flowers are used for reproduction. Their colors attract animals and the seeds are spread this way. There are many different parts of a flower that are all stated below.
* XYLEM- the type of tissue in vascular plants that provides support and conducts water and nutrients from the roots.
* PHLOEM- the tissue that conducts food in vascular plants.
* SEPAL- in a flower, one of the outermost rings of modified leaves that protect the flower bud.
* PETAL- one of the ring or rings of the usually brightly colored, leaf shaped parts of a flower.
* STAMEN- the male reproductive structure of a flower that produces pollen and consists of an anther at the tip of a filament.
* PISTIL- the female reproductive part of a flower that produces seeds and consists of an ovary, style, and stigma.
* OVARY- in flowering plants, the lower part of a pistil that produces eggs in the ovules.
SECTION 4 Summary: STRUCTURES OF SEED PLANTS
- There are usually four parts to the seed plants; roots, stems, leaves, and flowers. The roots of the plant can grow to be as long as the plant itself. The three functions of roots are that roots provide the plant with the water and dissolved minerals it needs, the water and the dissolved minerals from the xylem. The second function is that roots hold the plant in the ground, and the third is that roots store surplus food during photosynthesis. The food is made in the leaves and then it is transported to the phloem of the roots and is stored as sugar or starch. The substance that covers the root is called an epidermis. Some cells in the epidermis extend from the root, which helps the root get more water and nutrients. Roots grow at the tips, for there is slimy substance at the end of the root to help it dig deeper into the ground. There are two types of root systems; the taproot system and the fibrous system. The taproot system has on big root that grows downward and has smaller roots branching from it. Taproots can reach water deep down in the ground and dicots and gymnosperms usually have the taproot system. The fibrous system has several roots branching out and usually gets water near the soils surface. Monocots usually have the fibrous system. Stems vary greatly in shape and size, for some are big and brown, and some are small and thin. The three functions of a stem are that stems support the plant body, transport materials between the root system and the shoot system, and some stems store materials. There are two types of stems, herbaceous and woody stems.Herbaceous stems are soft, flexible, and thin. Woody stems are made of wood and bark. Clovers and poppies have herbaceous stems and trees and trees and shrubs have woody stems. Leaves usually make the plant food during the process of photosynthesis. Leaves have many layers. The first layer is a cuticle and under that is the upper epidermis. Under that is a paliside and below that is the spongy layer, where the xylem and phloem can be found. The lower epidermis and the bottom cuticle is found under that. Some leaves are shaped as spines. Flowers are used for reproduction. Their colors attract animals and the seeds are spread this way. There are many different parts of a flower that are all stated below.
STRUCTURES OF A FLOWER
This a picture of the structures of a flower. The structures are petals, sepals, stamen,which includes the anther and a filament, there is the pistil, which includes the stigma, style, a ovary, and a ovule. The petals are the soft flexible part of the flower that attracts that animals. The sepal is the part of the flower that protects the young sporophyte. A anther is the part that produces the pollen and the filaments have the anthers at the top. The stigma is at the tip of the pistil, the style is the long slender part of the flower, the ovary is the place where the ovules are kept. The ovule is the egg.