Defining a plant Flashcards
Are all plants photosynthetic?
Most are, but a few parasitic plants aren’t
What are myco-heterotrophs?
Parasitic plants that parasitize other plants through mycorrhizae
Why are myco-heterotrophs considered heterotrophs and not autotrophs?
They have no chloroplasts, so use organic molecules as an energy source
Are carnivorous plants heterotrophs?
No, they still do photosynthesis and are autotrophs. They just supplement with insects
Are other parasitic plants besides myco-heterotrophs also heterotrophs?
No. They will steal water and nutrients from other plants but not energy, and will still do photosynthesis
What are the 8 traits that can be used to define a plant?
Primarily terrestrial Store glucose as starch Photosynthetic Modular Multicellular Alternation of generations Cellulose cell walls Embryophytes
How do we define a plant in one word?
Embryophytes
Why isn’t photosynthesis a trait unique to plants?
Plenty of protists and bacteria also do photosynthesis
Why isn’t being modular a trait unique to plants?
Many sessile animals like corals also do this
Why is it advantageous to be modular?
Plants can remain attached through a large root network, which allows them to lose a lot of their biomass through herbivory and still survive and grow back
What is starch? What are the two types of starch?
A polymer of glucose. Amylose is linear and amylopectin has some branching
Why isn’t cellulose cell walls a trait unique to plants?
It is also present in the charophytes, which are closely related to plants but aren’t plants
Why isn’t alternation of generations a trait unique to plants?
It is also present in all algae
What is an embryophyte?
Propagation involves a multicellular, matrotrophic, diploid embryo that is nurtured by the parent gametophyte tissue
