Introduction to Plants

Introduction to Plants

Linnaeus: The Name Giver

• Known as the Father of Taxonomy

• Every plant species is given a unique two-word name.

Watch this video from the Natural History Museum in London to learn more about the legacy of Linnaeus and

why his discoveries are still important today.

1707-1778

Common name: CamelliaScientific name: Camellia japonica

The 1st part of the name tells the Genus and the 2nd part of the name tells the species.

Classification of Plants

• The Plant Kingdom is divided into two groups—nonvascular plants and vascular plants.

• Vascular plants have tubelike structures that carry water and nutrients throughout the plant.

• Nonvascular plants don’t have these tubelike structures and use other ways to move water and nutrients.

Seedless Nonvascular Plants

• Have rhizoids (-threadlike structures that anchor nonvascular plants to the ground) instead of roots

• Grow in damp places• Reproduce by spores instead of flowers and

seeds• Examples include mosses, liverworts, and

hornworts

MossesMoss

Liverwort

Hornwort

Nonvascular Plants and the Environment

• Spores of mosses and liverworts are carried by wind and will grow into plants if growing conditions are right.

• Mosses are often pioneer species—the first plants to grow in new or disturbed environments.

• As pioneer plants grow and die, decaying material builds up. This helps to build the soil. Over time, new plants can grow in the area.

The Secretly Speedy Life of Plants

Plants have a reputation for staying put. But some plants are moving so quickly, we can't see their motions. Biologist Joan Edwards and physicist Dwight Whitaker broke out the high-speed cameras to capture the story of exploding peat moss. The research was published in the journal Science.

Seedless Vascular Plants

• Includes…..club mosses, ferns, and horsetails Club Mosses:

Spike Mosses

Ground Pines

Ferns Horsetails

Seedless Plants:Seedless Vascular Plants

Mosses and ferns both reproduce by spores instead of seeds. However, ferns are different from mosses in that they have vascular tissue. Explain why this enables the fern to grow taller than the moss.

Ferns and Mosses

Nonvascular vascular spores

Before we go continue—What exactly is the difference between spores and seeds?

Spores• Can only be seen with the

aid of magnifying equipment

• Unicellular• Located underneath the

leaves of non-flowering plants

• Requires a wet environment to germinate

Seeds• Can easily be seen and

touched• Multicellular• Located either in the fruit or

flower of flowering plants

Seed Plants

• Have leaves, stems, roots, and vascular tissues

• Produce seeds

• Leaves The organs of the plant

where photosynthesis occurs

• Stems Support leaves and branches Usually above ground Can be herbaceous (soft and

green) or woody

• Roots Anchor plants to the ground Absorb water and nutrients

from the soil

• Vascular tissuesXylem—carries water and

nutrients from the roots up to the rest of the plant

Phloem—carries the products of photosynthesis down the plant

Cambium—In some plants, cambium is between the xylem and phloem. It produces xylem and phloem as the plant grows.

Seed Plant ClassificationGymnosperms

Do NOT have flowers. Produce seeds that are

NOT protected by fruit.Examples—

AngiospermsProduce flowers that

develop into a fruit with seeds.

Examples—