plant diversity Flashcards
What are the closest relatives of land plants?
Charophytes (green algae)
What traits do land plants share with charophytes?
1.Rings of cellulose-synthesizing complexes
2. Peroxisome enzymes
3. Structure of flagellated sperm
4. Formation of phragmoplast
What prevents exposed zygotes from drying out in charophytes?
A layer of durable polymer called sporopollenin
Where else is sporopollenin found in plants?
In plant spore walls
What advantages did the movement of charophyte ancestors onto land provide?
- Unfiltered sun
- More plentiful CO2
- Nutrient-rich soil
- Few herbivores or pathogens
What challenges did the move to land present for charophyte ancestors?
- Scarcity of water
- Lack of structural support
What may the accumulation of traits that facilitated survival on land have opened the way to?
Colonization of land by plants
What are systematists currently debating regarding the plant kingdom?
The boundaries of the plant kingdom
What do some biologists propose regarding the expansion of the plant kingdom?
Including some or all green algae
How are plants currently defined in light of the ongoing debate?
As embryophytes, plants with embryo
What are the derived traits that appear in nearly all land plants but are absent in charophytes?
- Alternation of generations and multicellular, dependent embryos
- Walled spores produced in sporangia
- Multicellular gametangia
- Apical meristems
Question: What is alternation of generations in plants?
A reproductive cycle where plants alternate between two multicellular stages.
Describe the gametophyte stage in alternation of generations.
The gametophyte is haploid and produces haploid gametes by mitosis.
What happens during fusion of gametes in alternation of generations?
Fusion of gametes gives rise to the diploid sporophyte.
What does the sporophyte produce and how in alternation of generations?
The sporophyte produces haploid spores by meiosis
How is the diploid embryo retained in land plants?
The diploid embryo is retained within the tissue of the female gametophyte.
How are nutrients transferred from parent to embryo in land plants?
Nutrients are transferred from parent to embryo through placental transfer cells.
Why are land plants called embryophytes?
Land plants are called embryophytes because of the dependency of the embryo on the parent.
Where are spores produced in land plants?
Spores are produced in organs called sporangia.
What type of cells undergo meiosis to generate spores?
Diploid cells called sporocytes undergo meiosis to generate haploid spores.
What is the role of sporopollenin in spore walls?
Sporopollenin makes spore walls resistant to harsh environme
Where are gametes produced in land plants?
Gametes are produced within organs called gametangia.
What is the function of female gametangia in land plants?
Female gametangia, called archegonia, produce eggs and are the site of fertilization.
What is the function of male gametangia in land plants?
Male gametangia, called antheridia, produce and release sperm.
What is the nature of plant growth?
Plant growth is modular, occurring in repeated units.
Where does continual growth occur in plants?
Continual growth occurs in apical meristems
What happens to meristem cells in plant growth?
Meristem cells differentiate into various tissues.
What is the role of meristematic growth in plants?
Meristematic growth is equivalent to human stem cells, driving plant growth and development.
What is the cuticle in land plants?
The cuticle is a waxy covering of the epidermis.
What are mycorrhizae in land plants?
Mycorrhizae are symbiotic associations between fungi and land plants that may help plants without true roots to obtain nutrients.
What are secondary compounds in land plants?
Secondary compounds are substances that deter herbivores and parasites.
When did fossil evidence suggest that plants were on land?
Fossil evidence indicates that plants were on land at least 475 million years ago.
What evidence supports the presence of plants on land 475 million years ago?
Fossilized spores and tissues have been extracted from 475-million-year-old rocks.