Plant diversity Flashcards
Alternation of generations
Type of life cycle that occurs in plants and algae
Autotroph
Organism that can produce its own food using light, water, carbon dioxide or other chemicals
diploid
cell that contains 2 copies of each chromosome, one from each parent
desiccation
state of extreme dryness or process of dying
dominant generation
the generation that occupies the largest portion of the life cycle
gametophyte
the sexual phase in plants and algae
haploid
cell with single set of chromosomes (egg and sperm cells)
homoiohydric
able to obtain water from the environment through a system of roots rather then the surface leaves
poikilohydric
when an organism water content changes with the moisture in the surrounding environment
sporophyte
non-sexual phase in the alternation of generations
vascular
plants with lignified tissues for conducting water and minerals throughout the plant
angiosperm
flowering plants - all plants with seeds, fruit and flowers for reproduction, attracts animals which assist in pollination, fruit serves to help with seed dispersal, sporophyte generation
binomial nomenclature
naming of each species of plants or animals- first genus, then species itself
bryophyte
plants that produce via spores rather than seeds or flowers, mosses, gametophyte generation, no vascular system
carpel
female reproductive system that encloses the ovules in the flowering plants
clade
a group of organisms believed to comprise all the evolutionary descendants of a common ancestor
gymnosperm
seed producing plants not spores, contained within a cone, pollen is blown by wind into female cones, sporophyte generation
monophyletic
group of organisms descended from a single ancestor
paraphyletic
a group including the most recent ancestor of all those organisms. does not include the descendants
polyphyletic
classified into the same group but come from different ancestors
spore
reproductive cell capable of developing into a new individual without fusion to another cell
synapomorphy
a character or trait shared
taxon
unit of rank designating an organism
what makes an organism a plant?
multicellular organisms that make their own food. photosynthetic and contain chlorophyll which enables plants to convert energy from the sun into food.