Seedless Plants
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Transcript Seedless Plants
Seedless Plants
Chapter 26
Plant Adaptations to Land
Cuticle
Waxy covering on leaves that helps prevent
desiccation
Stomata
Pores on the surface of leaves that allow
CO2 exchange
Gametangia
Multicellular sex organs which develop
multicellular embryos
Alternation of Generations
Gametophyte generation
Haploid
Produces haploid gametes by mitosis
Sporophyte generation
Diploid – begins when haploid gametes fuse
Produces haploid spores by meiosis
Major Groups of Land
Plants
Bryophytes
Small, nonvascular
Mosses
Seedless vascular plants
Contain tissues to conduct water and food
Ferns
Gymnosperms
‘Naked seeds’
Conifers
Angiosperms
Flowering plants
Most plants are in this group
Bryophytes
Over 15,000 species
Nonvascular – must remain small
Require moist habitats
Three main groups:
Mosses
Liverworts
hornworts
Mosses
No true leaves, stems, or roots due to
lack of vascular tissue
Rhizoids – tiny absorptive structures
which have a similar function as roots
Upright leaf-like structures
Environmental importance:
Help in soil formation
Sphagnum moss – useful in gardening
Liverworts
Flattened body form called a thallus
Thallus is ‘liver’ shaped
Rhizoids on the underneath side of
thallus
Hornworts
Resemble liverworts
Live in disturbed habitats
Seedless Vascular Plants
Ferns, whisk ferns, horsetails, club
mosses
Specialized vascular tissue:
Xylem – conducts water
Phloem – conducts dissolved sugars
Allows this group to be larger than the
bryophytes
Ferns
Mostly terrestrial
Clearly defined alternation of generations
Rhizome – underground stem which
supports a true leaf and roots
Frond – the leaf
Spores are produced on the underside of
the frond
Whisk Ferns
The simplest vascular plants
Lack true roots and leaves but have
vascularized stems
Horsetails
Have hollow, jointed stems
Were the dominant plants 300 mya
Major contribution to coal deposits
Have true roots, stems, and small leaves
Were used as ‘scouring rushes’
Club Mosses
Also part of modern day coal deposits
Attractive – often used as Christmas
wreaths