Kingdom Plantae

Characteristics of Plants• Eukaryotic• Autotrophic• Multicellular• Cell walls (made of cellulose)• Chloroplasts (containing chlorophyll)• Store food as starch

Classification of Plants• Kingdom is subdivided into “divisions,” which

are the equivalent of “phyla”• Plants vary in several ways:

o Presence of/absence of “vascular tissue”o Dominant reproductive generationo Production of pollen, spores, seeds, fruits,

flowerso Whether or not water is necessary for

reproduction

Vascular vs. Non-vascular• Vascular tissue consists of vessels, ducts, or

tubes of elongated cells that conduct materials throughout the plant

• Only vascular plants are considered to have “true” roots, stems, and leaves, the main vegetative organs of advanced plants

Vascular vs. Non-vascular• “xylem”—tissue that conducts water and

dissolved minerals up (from the roots) within a vascular plant

• “phloem”—tissue that conducts food (glucose) down (from the leaves) within a vascular plant

Life Cycle of PlantsAlternation of Generation

Plants have a life cycle consisting of 2 phases, one of which is “dominant”:• Gametophyte generation

—produces sex cells “gametes”—sperm and egg cells); during “fertilization” a sperm cell and an egg cell unite to form a “zygote”

• Sporophyte generation—produces cells called “spores” within “sporangia”

Major Plant Groups• Division Bryophyta—includes mosses

• Division Tracheophyta—includes ferns and their allies, gymnosperms and angiosperms

Division Bryophyta• Non-vascular plants; no xylem, phloem, or

“true” roots, stems, or leaves• “Rhizoids” are root-like structures which

anchor mosses in the ground and absorb water and minerals from the soil

• Require water for reproduction (produce swimming sperm, not pollen)

• Dominant gametophyte generation

Division Bryophyta• Gametophyte generation is

leafy and green

Division Tracheophyta• Includes ferns, gymnosperms and the

angiosperms.• Vascular plants; have xylem, phloem,

and “true” roots, stems, and leaves• Dominant sporophyte generation

Gymnosperms

• Mosses and ferns do not produce seeds, but gymnosperms and angiosperms do

• The word “gymnosperm” means “naked seed”

• No requirement for water in reproduction; instead, they produce pollen

• Produce 2 different types of spores: o Microspores—male spores; become

pollen

o Megaspores—female spores; become eggs

Angiosperms• The word “angiosperm” means “seeds

enclosed”• These plants produce seeds that are

inside of fruits• Ex. Grass, oak, maple, iris, rose,

buttercup, geranium• Angiosperms are also known as

“flowering plants”

• Reproduce sexually by forming flowers, fruits, and seeds

Angiosperms

The End