Chapter 12.1What Is A Plant?

What is a Plant? Common Characteristics

Plants contain pigments within their cells called chlorophyllChlorophyll is a green pigment

that captures energy from sunlight.

It is found in the Chloroplasts which are organelle’s found in many plant cells and some Protist cells.

Plants use chlorophyll and energy from the sun to produce their own food. This is why they are called producers.

Cuticles Plants live on dry land and need water

to live. They do not dry out because they are protected by their cuticle.

A cuticle is a waxy layer that coats most of the surfaces of plants that are exposed to air.

Cell Walls Plant cells are surrounded by a rigid

cell wall. The cell wall lies outside the cell

membrane. It is made up of carbohydrates and proteins.

Some plants have a secondary wall that forms once the cell reaches maturity and prevents the cell from growing any larger.

Reproduction Plants have two stages in their

life cycleSporophyte and gametophyte In the sporophyte stage the

plants make spores. In good, damp soil the spores of

some plants grow. The new plants are called gametophytes. During this stage female

gametophytes produce eggs and male gametophytes produce sperm. They need each other to grow. Once the egg is fertilized the plant grown and once again begins to produce spores.

Plant Classification Nonvascular plant

A plant with no specialized tissues to move water and nutrients through the plant. They rely on diffusion to move materials through the plant.

Nonvascular plants must be small.Mosses, liverworts and hornworts

are examples of nonvascular plants.

Vascular Plants A plant with specialized

tissue to move water and materials through the plant.

There are 2 groups of vascular plants:Seedless plantsSeed plants

Gymnosperms Angiosperms