Plant Classification

Group 1: Seedless, Nonvascular Plants

• Live in moist environments

• Liverworts

• Hornworts

• Mosses

Mosses• Nonvascular,

seedless• Grow low to ground

to retain moisture• Lack true leaves

– Leaf-like structures only 1 cell thick

• Rhizoids anchor into soil

• Early inhabitant of new ecosystems (succession)

Group 2: Seedless, Vascular Plants

• Vascular system allows nutrient transport to greater heights

• Club mosses

• Horsetails

• Ferns

Ferns

• Seedless, vascular plants– Vascular: allows taller growth

• Rhizoids: underground stems draw nutrients• Fronds: leaves uncurl

– sporangia on underside• Sori: clusters of sporangia

Group 3: Seed producing, Vascular Plants

• Gymnosperms– Cycads– Ginko– Conifers

• Angiosperms

Group 3: Seed producing, Vascular Plants• 1) Seed plants don’t depend

on water to reproduce– Pollen (contains sperm)

combines with egg– Egg hardens into a seed

• 2) Nourishment and protection– Nourish: Nutrients inside

seed for the embryo– Protection: Hard shell

• 3) Allow dispersal– Carried by wind, water,

animals

Group 3: Seed producing, Vascular Plants

• Type 1: Gymnosperms• Seeds not enclosed in a

fruit– produced inside cones

• Cone = reproductive structure

• Male cones: produce pollen

• Female cones: produce eggs and seeds

Group 3: Seed producing, Vascular Plants

• Gymosperm example: Conifers– Cone plants– Needle-like leaves– Common to lumber

industry– Evergreen, Pine,

Redwood, Cedar

Group 3: Seed producing, Vascular Plants

• Type 2: Angiosperms (flowering plants)

• Flower = reproductive structure– Protects gamete

and fertilized eggs• Seeds enclosed in a

fruit– Fruit: Plant ovary– Often attract

animals to disperse the seeds inside

Fruit Production

• In the seed– Embryo– Food supply

• Surrounding ovary grows into a fruit

• Fruit attracts animals to eat and spread the seeds Fruit seeds in fox droppings

Angiosperm types(flowering plants)

• 2 groups: Monocots and Dicots (based on seed type)

• Cotyledon: embryonic leaf

• Monocots: embryo with 1 seed leaf

• Dicots: embryo with 2 seed leaves

Monocots vs. Dicots

Angiosperm Life Spans• Three Life Span Types:

• Annuals– 1 year: Mature…produce

seeds…die

• Biennials– 1st year: produces short

stem, low growth leaves, food reserves

– 2nd year: taller stem, leaves, flowers, seeds

• Perennials– Live for more than 2 years

Flowers• Reproductive

structure of flowering plants

• Sepals– outer ring of leaves– protection

• Petals– Inner ring of leaves – Brightly colored to

attract pollinators• Open petals & sepals

reveal male and female structures

Flowers • Female Carpel– Inner most part– Ovary: within the

base (female gametophyte)

– Style: long stalk– Stigma: sticky

tip, collects pollen

• Male Stamen– Surrounds carpel– Filaments: long

stalks– Anther: produces

pollen (male gametophyte)