1.4.3

Question 1

What plants are the gymnosperms?

Answer 1

the conifers and their relatives

Question 2

when did conifers evolve?

Answer 2

permian period, 280 mil

Question 3

what is the makeup of the seed in terms of the life cycles?

Answer 3

Seed = embryo (2n) + food reserve (n) that can survive long dry/cold periods

Question 4

what is important about the conifer mode of reproduction?

Answer 4

the seed replaces spore as dispersal agent

Question 5

Name four changes in the the life cycle of the conifers in regards to plants that came before.

Answer 5

1. life cycle involves to gametophytes
2. seeds start as ovule, the female gametophyte
3. in ovule, mega spores are not released and gametophyte is now carried by sporophyte
4. the male gametes are now pollen (microspores)

Question 6

what is important about the advent of pollen for reproduction.

Answer 6

the need for water to be present is eliminated

Question 7

what is characteristic of the progymnosperms? (extinct)

Answer 7

radial growth but reproduction by spores

Question 8

what are the for living divisions of conifers today?

Answer 8

ginkophyta, cycadophyta, gnetophyta, and coniferophyta

Question 9

of the four divisions of conifers alive today, which one has only one representative species left?

Answer 9

ginkophyta, the Chinese temple tree

Question 10

what is characteristic about the sex of the ginkgo trees?

Answer 10

they have male and female trees

Question 11

what are some medicinal uses of ginkgo? (2)

Answer 11

1. treatment of memory loss and dementia

2. found to reduce the symptoms of intermittent claudation by 50%

Question 12

the characteristics of genophyta

Answer 12

reproduction by cones but advanced wood like flowering plants

Question 13

what does mormon tea come from?

Answer 13

from the plant family ephedra

Question 14

what is mormon tea used for?

Answer 14

1. used for colds as a decongestant
2. used as a weight loss supplement
3. used with caffeine for herbal ecstasy

Question 15

what drug, derrived from the conifers, was recalled by Health Canada?

Answer 15

ephedrine

Question 16

characteristics of cykadophyta?

Answer 16

1. palm like frond but no flowers
2. reproduction by cones
3. highly toxic roots often used for rodentcides

Question 17

Give three characteristics of conifers

Answer 17

terpene resins are used as defenses
tallest and oldest species on the planet
persistent leaves = evergreen

Question 18

Give four ways that evergreens are adapted to the cold and arid conditions they are found in.

Answer 18

1. winter leaves increase antioxidant levels
2. leaves increase antioxidant levels
3. needles collect and condense fog
4. advent of seeds means that the reproduction process is a lot more resiliant

Question 19

what are the secondary compounds that conifers produce?

Answer 19

terpenes

Question 20

what anticancer agent was discovered in the conifers?

Answer 20

taxol, found in taxus

Question 21

what is so important about taxol chemically?

Answer 21

it prevents tubulin from assembling, and it cannot be produced by scientists