The Plants

• Plants are photoautotroph's. That means they make their own food using the energy they get from the sun. They are multi-cellular eukaryotes. They have a natural history of about 450 million years and are divided into about 10 major groups. Plants are considered to be the first organisms to properly colonise the terrestrial environment.

Chara: A modern algae that resembles primitive plant ancestors.

Seedless non vascular plants

• Seedless Non Vascular plant Characteristics:• No flowers, has separate archegonium (female) and

antheridium (male)• Produce spores• Does not produce pollen, has flagellated sperm• Not associated with the insects• Gametophyte (dominant generation) and sporophyte

generation independently living but sporophyte growing out of gametophyte.

• No vascular system; nutrients moved through diffusion.

Bryophyta: The Mosses.

Hepatophyta: The Liverworts

Anthocerophyta: The Hornworts

The Seedless Vascular Plants.

• Seedless Vascular plant Characteristics:• No flowers, has separate archegonium (female) and

antheridium (male)• Produce spores• Does not produce pollen, has flagellated sperm• Not associated with the insects.• Gametophyte and sporophyte (generally dominant)

generation independently living though the sporophyte grows from the archegonium which is on the gametophyte.

• Vascular system: Xylem: Tracheids and Phloem: sieve tube members

Lycopodiophyta: The lycopods

Lycopodiophyta: The Selaginellas.

Equisetophyta: A Horsetail

Equisetophyta: A scouring rush

Psilotophyta: Psilotum: The whisk fern.

Pteridophyta: Lygodium: The climbing fern.

Pteridophyta: A fiddlehead of a fern.

Pteridophyta: Ophioglossum: An unusual fern enigma

Pteridophyta: Marselaceae: An Aquatic fern

Pteridophyta: Salvinea: A noxious introduced aquatic fern from the new world.

Gymnosperms: The first seed plants.

• Gymnosperm Characteristics:• No flowers• Produce seeds that are not contained within an

ovary• Produce pollen• Not closely associated with the insects.• Dominant sporophyte generation• Vascular system: Xylem: Tracheids and Phloem:

sieve tube members

Cycadicae: Bowinea: The byfield fern, a rare native fern found in central Queensland.

Pinicae

• Have no pictures of my own yet

Gneticae:

• Have no pictures of my own yet

Angiosperms: The Modern Insect Symbionts.

• Angiosperm Characteristics:• Produce flowers• Produce seeds that are contained within ovaries• Produce pollen• Close association with the insects• Dominant sporophyte generation• Vascular system: Xylem: vessel elements and

Phloem: sieve tube members

Dicotyledons: The flowering plants with two cotyledons.

• Dicotyledon characteristics:• Two cotyledons• Leaves petolate• Netted venation• Flower parts in sets of 4 or 5.• Secondary growth• Tap roots

Angiosperm: Dicotyledon: Dioneae: The Venus Fly Trap.

Angiosperm: Dicotyledon: Opointea: A Vibrant fast growing cactus species.

Monocotyledons: The Flowering Plants with one cotyledon.

• Monocotyledon Characteristics:• Only one cotyledon• Leaves that are stem clasping• Parallel venation• Flower parts in sets of 3• No secondary growth• No tap roots

Angiosperm: Monocotyledon: Bromeliad: A tree dwelling, sometimes carnivorous grass relative.

Angiosperm: Monocotyledons: A grass