Scribd
Upload
35 views

Plants Shape and Structure

The document classifies plants into four main groups: bryophytes, pteridophytes, gymnosperms, and angiosperms. It provides key characteristics for each group, such as their reproductive structures and strategies, presence of vascular tissue, and whether the sporophyte or gametophyte generation is dominant in their life cycle. Angiosperms are further divided into monocots and dicots based on seed structure and leaf vein patterns.

Uploaded by

ahmedfaheemkashif11
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
35 views

Plants Shape and Structure

The document classifies plants into four main groups: bryophytes, pteridophytes, gymnosperms, and angiosperms. It provides key characteristics for each group, such as their reproductive structures and strategies, presence of vascular tissue, and whether the sporophyte or gametophyte generation is dominant in their life cycle. Angiosperms are further divided into monocots and dicots based on seed structure and leaf vein patterns.

Uploaded by

ahmedfaheemkashif11
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 5

Plants can be classified into several major groups based on their shape, structure, and reproductive

strategies. Here's a broad overview of the main classes of plants and their characteristics:

1. Bryophytes:

 Examples: Mosses, liverworts, hornworts.

Characteristics:

 Lack of true vascular tissue: Bryophytes don't have specialized tissues for conducting water and
nutrients throughout the plant. This limits their size and restricts them to moist environments.
 Dominant gametophyte generation: In the life cycle of bryophytes, the gametophyte (haploid)
generation is dominant, while the sporophyte (diploid) generation remains dependent on the
gametophyte for nutrients.
 Rhizoids instead of roots: Bryophytes anchor themselves to the substrate using thread-like
structures called rhizoids, which lack vascular tissue and primarily function for attachment
rather than absorption.
 Reproduction via spores: Bryophytes reproduce sexually by producing spores in specialized
structures called sporangia. These spores are dispersed by wind and water, enabling
colonization of new habitats.

2. Pteridophytes:

 Examples: Ferns, horsetails, clubmosses.

Characteristics:

 Vascular tissue present: Pteridophytes possess vascular tissue, including xylem and phloem,
allowing for the efficient transport of water, nutrients, and sugars throughout the plant.
 Independent sporophyte generation: In the life cycle of pteridophytes, the sporophyte (diploid)
generation is the dominant phase, while the gametophyte (haploid) generation is relatively
inconspicuous and short-lived.
 Well-developed leaves (fronds) and stems: Pteridophytes typically have large, compound leaves
called fronds, which arise from a rhizome or underground stem. The stems may be aerial or
subterranean, but they lack true wood.
 Spore dispersal: Pteridophytes reproduce via spores produced in sporangia, often located on the
underside of fronds. Upon maturity, sporangia release spores, which are dispersed by wind to
colonize new habitats.

3. Gymnosperms:

 Examples: Conifers (pines, spruces, firs), cycads, ginkgoes.

Characteristics:
 Naked seeds: Gymnosperms produce seeds that are not enclosed within a fruit. Instead, seeds
are typically borne on the surface of cone scales or within cones, which are often woody
structures.
 Presence of vascular tissue: Gymnosperms have well-developed vascular tissue, including xylem
and phloem, facilitating efficient transport of water, nutrients, and sugars.
 Dominant sporophyte generation: The sporophyte (diploid) generation is the dominant phase in
the life cycle of gymnosperms, with the gametophyte (haploid) generation reduced and
dependent on the sporophyte for nutrition.
 Typically evergreen: Many gymnosperms are evergreen, retaining their foliage year-round. This
adaptation allows them to photosynthesize during periods of cold or drought when deciduous
plants shed their leaves.

4. Angiosperms (Flowering Plants):

 Examples: Trees, shrubs, herbs, grasses, flowering vines.


Characteristics:

1. Flowers and fruits: Angiosperms produce flowers, which are reproductive structures containing
male and/or female reproductive organs. After fertilization, flowers develop into fruits, which
enclose and protect the seeds.
2. Presence of vascular tissue: Angiosperms possess well-developed vascular tissue, including
xylem and phloem, enabling efficient transport of water, nutrients, and sugars throughout the
plant.
3. Double fertilization: Angiosperms undergo a unique process called double fertilization, where
one sperm fertilizes the egg to form the zygote, while another sperm combines with polar nuclei
to form endosperm, a nutrient-rich tissue within the seed.
4. Diverse growth forms: Angiosperms exhibit a wide range of growth forms, including trees,
shrubs, herbs, vines, and grasses, adapted to various ecological niches and environmental
conditions.

Within angiosperms, there are two main classes:

 Monocots:

 Examples: Grasses, lilies, orchids, palms.

 Characteristics: Plants with seeds containing one cotyledon (embryonic seed leaf).
Leaves are typically long and narrow with parallel veins, and floral parts usually occur in
multiples of three.

 Dicots:

 Examples: Roses, daisies, oaks, maples.

 Characteristics: Plants with seeds containing two cotyledons. Leaves are often broad
with branching veins, and floral parts usually occur in multiples of four or five.

You might also like