1.1 Plant diversity

Question 1

Conifer (gymnosperms) features (7):

Answer 1

Woody;

Mostly evergreen;

Reduced leaves in the form of needles or scale leaves

Cones with “naked seeds” - no flowers;

Wind pollinated

Wind dispersal of seed

Perennial life cycle

Question 2

Flowering plant (angiosperms) features (4):

Answer 2

Herbaceous and woody;

Evergreen and deciduous;

Flowers and enclosed seeds;

Wind pollinated;

Insect pollinated;

All life cycles.

Question 3

Dicot features:

Answer 3

Around 230,000 species;

Two seed leaves;

Leaves - diverse shapes, nest-like veins, often intricate margins;

Flower parts in multiples of 4 or 5;

Distinct sepals and petals;

Stems - usually branched;

Roots - primary tap root with lateral branching roots;

Vascular bundles - in rings in stem;

Xylem & phloem - in centre of root, also has vascular cambium;

Secondary growth - present in woody species.

Question 4

Monocot features:

Answer 4

Around 60,000 species;

One seed leaf;

Leaves - strap-like, parallel veins, simple margins;

Flower parts in multiples of 3;

Sepals and petals similar (sometimes called tepals);

Stems - usually unbranched;

Roots - fibrous, no primary tap root;

Vascular bundles - scattered randomly in stem;

Xylem & phloem - in rings in root, no vascular cambium;

Secondary growth - absent (no true wood).

Question 5

THREE ways in which flowering plants are different from conifers:

Answer 5

Flowering plants have a range of life cycles (annual, ephemeral, biennial, perennial) - Conifers are just perennial

Flowering plants have a wide range of leaf shapes (palmate, lanceolate, pinnate, ovate) - Conifers have simple needle-like leaves

Flowering plants have enclosed seeds - Confiers have “naked” seeds.