Intro, Nomenclature, and Classification Flashcards
What are the vascular phyla of land plants?
What are the non-vascular phyla?
Non-vascular : Marchantiophyta (liverworts), bryophyta (mosses), and anthoceratophyta (hornworts).
Vascular: Lycopodiophyta (spike and club mosses), polypodiophyta (ferns and horsetails), pinophyta (gymnosperms), and magnoliophyta (angiosperms and flowering plants).
What are characteristics of the Alleghenian floristic element?
Alleghenian elements have ranges centered on the Great Smoky Mountains and are dominant in deciduous forests.
White pine, hemlock, and basswood are dominants.
A very ancient element, extending all the way back into the tertiary.
What are characteristics of the Ozarkian floristic element?
Species with ranges grouped around the Ozarks mountains near Arkansas and Missouri.
More adapted to xeric conditions, but pretty related to the alleghenian element.
Bur oak and black oak are some of these species.
What are characteristics of the Prairie floristic element?
Species with ranges centered around extinct or existing prairies.
Side oats and needle grass are such species.
What are characteristics of the Boreal floristic element?
Species wth ranges from the Great Lakes, all the way to Alaska.
Many are circumboreal with ranges in Eurasia!
Tamarack, white spruce, and balsam fir are examples.
What are the two floristic provinces of Wisconsin, and what elements are they composed of?
1) The “Northern Hardwoods”, consisting of mostly Boreal elements with some Alleghenian elements.
2) The “Prairie-forest”, which includes mostly prairie & Ozarkian, with some Alleghenian elements.
What are the dominants of Southern Mesic Hardwoods?
Beech, sugar maples, and basswoods.
Lots of understory plants are in full bloom here early in the spring due to the amount of light available.
What are the dominants of Southern Xeric Hardwoods?
Oaks and hickories.
Even more open than Southern Mesics, and a lot of shrubs. Very diverse understory!
What are the dominants and characteristics of Northern Xeric Hardwoods?
Very acidic because of oaks and conifers, so a lot of strange and growth forms exist, like indian pipes and pyrola.
What are the dominants and characteristics of Prairies?
Characterized by no trees.
Dominated by grasses, legumes, and composites, and ranges from dry to wet.
What are the dominants and characteristics of fens?
Alkaline peatlands that are groundwater fed.
Dominated by forbs and sedges.
What are the pros and cons of using common names?
Pros:
- colorful and unique -for a lot of people, the only way they can communicate about earth’s diversity
Cons:
- One plant can have many names
- One name can be given to plants that are unrelated.
- Names can be confusing (like sweet-fern not being a fern)
- Lots of plants don’t even have common names
