Monilophyta Flashcards
What phylum includes horsetails, whisk ferns, and ferns?
Phylum Monilophyta
What class do horsetails belong to?
Class Equisetopsida
What is the only living genus of horsetails?
Genus Equisetum
What are horsetails also called?
Scouring rush
Where are horsetails typically found?
In damp environments and marshes.
What are the stem characteristics of horsetails?
Hollow stems with joints, ridged stems containing silicate and other minerals.
What is the main site of photosynthesis in horsetails?
The green stem.
What type of gametophytes do horsetails produce?
Homosporous (bisexual gametophytes).
What class do whisk ferns belong to?
Class Psilotopsida
What is a key characteristic of whisk ferns?
They lack true leaves and roots.
Where does photosynthesis occur in whisk ferns?
In aerial stems.
What is a synangium in whisk ferns?
A three-chambered spore-bearing structure.
What class do ferns belong to?
Class Polypodiopsida
How many known species of ferns are there?
Around 10,500, with estimates up to 15,000.
What is a notable genus of ferns that thrives in old fields?
Pteridium (bracken)
Where are ferns most abundant?
In tropical rainforests.
What is a fiddlehead?
The young frond coiled at the tip.
What are the two types of fronds in dimorphic ferns?
Fertile fronds and sterile fronds.
What are sori in ferns?
Clusters of sporangia that produce spores.
Where are sori usually located?
On the underside of the frond blade.
What is an indusium?
A protective flap covering young sori.
How do fern stems typically grow?
Below the surface of the substrate.
What does the mature gametophyte of many ferns resemble?
A little flat green heart, about the size of a fingernail.
