Key Terms – Plant Kingdom
- alternation of generations
- alternating between two different life stages, or generations, in their life cycle; a haploid stage called gametophyte and a diploid stage called sporophyte
- anther
- a sac-like structure at the tip of the stamen in which pollen grains are produced
- Anthophyta
- the division to which angiosperms belong
- apical meristem
- the growing point in a vascular plant at the tip of a shoot or root where cell division occurs
- basal angiosperms
- a group of plants that probably branched off before the separation of monocots and eudicots
- calyx
- the whorl of sepals
- carpel
- the female reproductive part of a flower consisting of the stigma, style, and ovary
- club moss
- the earliest group of seedless vascular plants
- cone
- the ovulate strobilus on gymnosperms that contains ovules
- conifer
- the dominant division of gymnosperms with the most variety of species
- corolla
- the collection of petals
- cotyledon
- the one (monocot) or two (dicot) primitive leaves present in a seed
- cycad
- a division of gymnosperms that grow in tropical climates and resemble palm trees
- dicot
- a group of angiosperms whose embryos possess two cotyledons; also known as eudicot
- diploid
- possessing the full number of chromosomes; two complete sets of chromosomes; 2n
- diplontic
- describes a life cycle in which the diploid stage is the dominant stage
- eudicots
- a group of angiosperms whose embryos possess two cotyledons; also known as dicot
- fern
- a seedless vascular plant that produces large fronds; the most advanced group of seedless vascular plants
- filament
- the thin stalk that links the anther to the base of the flower
- gametangium
- (plural: gametangia) the structure within which gametes are produced
- gametophyte
- the haploid plant that produces gametes
- gingkophyte
- a division of gymnosperm with one living species, the Gingko biloba, a tree with fan-shaped leaves
- gnetophyte
- a division of gymnosperms with varied morphological features that produce vessel elements in their woody tissues
- gymnosperm
- a seed plant with naked seeds (seeds exposed on modified leaves or in cones)
- gynoecium
- the group of structures that constitute the female reproductive organ; also called the pistil
- haplodiplontic
- describes a life cycle in which the haploid and diploid stages alternate; also known as an alternation of generations life cycle
- haploid
- possessing half the total number of chromosomes; a single set of chromosomes; 1n
- haplontic
- describes a life cycle in which the haploid stage is the dominant stage
- herbaceous
- describes a plant without woody tissue
- heterosporous
- having two kinds of spores that give rise to male and female gametophytes
- homosporous
- having one kind of spore that gives rise to gametophytes that give rise to both male and female gametes
- hornwort
- a group of non-vascular plants in which stomata appear
- horsetail
- a seedless vascular plant characterized by a jointed stem
- liverwort
- the most primitive group of non-vascular plants
- megasporocyte
- a megaspore mother cell; larger spore that germinates into a female gametophyte in a heterosporous plant
- microsporocyte
- smaller spore that produces a male gametophyte in a heterosporous plant
- monocot
- a related group of angiosperms that produce embryos with one cotyledon and pollen with a single ridge
- moss
- a group of plants in which a primitive conductive system appears
- nonvascular plant
- a plant that lacks vascular tissue formed of specialized cells for the transport of water and nutrients
- ovary
- the chamber that contains and protects the ovule or female megasporangium
- petal
- a modified leaf interior to the sepal; colorful petals attract animal pollinator
- phloem
- the vascular tissue responsible for transport of sugars, proteins, and other solutes
- pistil
- the group of structures that constitute the female reproductive organ; also called the carpel
- sepal
- a modified leaf that encloses the bud; outermost structure of a flower
- sporangium
- (plural: sporangia) the organ within which spores are produced
- sporophyll
- a leaf modified structurally to bear sporangia
- sporophyte
- the diploid plant that produces spores
- stamen
- the group of structures that contain the male reproductive organs
- stigma
- uppermost structure of the carpel where pollen is deposited
- strobili
- cone-like structures that contain the sporangia
- style
- the long thin structure that links the stigma to the ovary
- syngamy
- the union of two gametes in fertilization
- vascular plant
- a plant in which there is a network of cells that conduct water and solutes through the organism
- whisk fern
- a seedless vascular plant that lost roots and leaves by evolutionary reduction
- xylem
- the vascular tissue responsible for long-distance transport of water and nutrients