Plant Taxonomy

Question 1

Define taxonomy.

Answer 1

Method used by scientists for classifying all living things, to understand evolutionary relationships, includes species descriptions & indentification

Question 2

When did modern taxonomy originate, and who created it?

Answer 2

Mid 1700s, Carl Linnaeus

Question 3

What is a scientific name?

Answer 3

Two part Latin-based name given to every species

Question 4

In taxonomy, how are plants categorized?

Answer 4

Based on reproductive structures, to understand evolutionary relationships

Question 5

What are kingdoms in taxonomy?

Answer 5

Broad categories that all living things are grouped into

Question 6

What kingdom are plants in?

Answer 6

Plantae

Question 7

What categories are within kingdoms?

Answer 7

Phyla, singular phylum

Question 8

What phyla does kingdom Plantae include? Describe each of them

Answer 8

Chlorophyta (green algae), Bryophyta (mosses), Pteridophyta (ferns) Gymnosperms (conifers), and Angiosperms (flowering plants)

Question 9

What are chlorophyta?

Answer 9

Green algae, organisms from which plants evolved

Question 10

What organisms do Chlorophyta include? Which of these can photosynthesize?

Answer 10

Unicellular flagellates (single celled organisms with tail-like structures), multicellular forms and macroscopic seaweeds. All can photosynthesize

Question 11

Chlorophyta are primarily what? Where are they most commonly found?

Answer 11

Primarily aquatic, found in freshwater & marine habitats, also trees and rocks

Question 12

What are some chlorophyta symbiotic with? What does this form?

Answer 12

Fungi, forming lichens

Question 13

What group of algae are most closely related to land plants?

Answer 13

The Charophytes

Question 14

What are Byrophyta?

Answer 14

Mosses, most primitive true plants

Question 15

What system do Byrophyta lack? What does this mean?

Answer 15

Lack a vascular system, meaning they have no tissue, can’t transport water throughout plant

Question 16

What is tissue?

Answer 16

A group of cells a work together to perform a function

Question 17

Describe osmosis and what Byrophyta uses it for.

Answer 17

Where water moves from areas with lots of it to areas with less, Byrophyta use it to acquire water, nutrients, minerals

Question 18

Why do mosses grow low to the ground (usually only few cm high)?

Answer 18

They can’t easily carry water and nutrients throughout a large plant

Question 19

What do mosses have instead of roots, which they lack? What do they do?

Answer 19

Rhizoids, root-like threads that help anchor plant to ground without absorbing nutrients and water

Question 20

Where do mosses usually live?

Answer 20

Damp, shady areas, in clumps forming dense, soft masses of vegetation

Question 21

Byrophyta where one of the first types of plants to do what?

Answer 21

Establish on rocky ground

Question 22

What can Byrophyta do, similar to lichens? What does this allow, essential for larger plants to grow?

Answer 22

Break down rock, allowing early stages of soil formation

Question 23

What can Byrophyta do that’s unique?

Answer 23

Absorb many times their weight in water, and help prevent soil erosion by capturing rainfall

Question 24

What are Pteridophyta?

Answer 24

Ferns, primitive but more advanced than mosses

Question 25

What system lets Pteridophyta transport water and nutrients around the plant?

Answer 25

Vascular system

Question 26

What sort of tissues do Pteridophyta include? What do they do?

Answer 26

Xylem (transports water around plant), phloem (moves nutrients - mostly sugar - around plant)

Question 27

What do roots absorb, and how does this get transported to stems and leaves?

Answer 27

Absorb water and nutrients from soil, transported via xylem and phloem

Question 28

What are Pteridophyta known for? What is this?

Answer 28

Their fiddleheads, curled-up leaves of young ferns

Question 29

Where do Pteridophyta live?

Answer 29

Variety of habitats like mountains, in rock crevices, swamps, moist forests

Question 30

What is an example of a common fern? Where does it live?

Answer 30

Bracken fern, temperate & subtropical regions

Question 31

What are gymnosperms?

Answer 31

Conifers, first group of vascular plants to produce seeds

Question 32

Why are they called gymnosperms?

Answer 32

Gymno ‘naked’, sperm ‘seed’. They have uncovered seeds, unlike angiosperms

Question 33

What is the most group in gymnosperms? Give some examples.

Answer 33

Conifers (pines, cedars, junipers, spruces…)

Question 34

What do conifers have? Describe their complexion.

Answer 34

Have cones and needles, woody

Question 35

What are needles in conifers actually?

Answer 35

Long, pointed leaves

Question 36

Conifers are evergreen. What does this mean?

Answer 36

They don’t lose their leaves in winter, instead they gradually replace them over time

Question 37

What sort of coating do pine needles have? What does this do?

Answer 37

Waxy coating, lets needles retain water throughout winter, still allowing them to use photosynthesis

Question 38

Where are gymnosperms mainly found (terms of hemisphere)?

Answer 38

Northern hemisphere

Question 39

Where to gymnosperms thrive in (terms of seasons)? Why?

Answer 39

Places where summers are short, winters long because ability to retain water during winter

Question 40

Elaborate on gymnosperms’ height, give example of a tall species

Answer 40

Among tallest trees, e.g., Sitka spruce at 90m

Question 41

What are angiosperms?

Answer 41

Flowering plants, most evolved, diverse, successful plants

Question 42

What % of kingdom Plantae are angiosperms?

Answer 42

90%

Question 43

Describe angiosperms (system, seeds)

Answer 43

Have vascular system, seed-producing, with flowers/fruits that enclose seeds

Question 44

How many land habitats have angiosperms colonized?

Answer 44

Nearly every conceivable one (deserts, alpine summits, marshes, rainforests)

Question 45

Give some examples of angiosperms

Answer 45

Grasses, roses, cacti, most broadleaved trees