Plant Kingdom Study Guide
Short-Answer Quiz
Answer the following questions in 2-3 sentences based on the source material.
Essay Questions
Trace the evolution from algae through pteridophytes. Discuss the shift from a gametophyte-dominant life cycle to a sporophyte-dominant one and the structural changes that accompanied this transition.
Compare and contrast Chlorophyceae, Phaeophyceae, and Rhodophyceae regarding their asexual and sexual reproduction methods and the nature of their spores and gametes.
Explain the complete life cycle of a moss. Detail structures, ploidy levels, fertilization, and the mechanism of spore dispersal.
Discuss how the development of zygotes within female gametophytes in heterosporous pteridophytes serves as an evolutionary step toward the seed habit seen in gymnosperms.
Describe artificial, natural, and phylogenetic classification systems. Explain the roles of numerical taxonomy, cytotaxonomy, and chemotaxonomy in resolving modern taxonomic confusion.
Glossary of Key Terms
Chlorophyll-bearing, simple, thalloid, autotrophic, and largely aquatic organisms.
A hydrocolloid produced by brown algae (Phaeophyceae) for water retention.
Flowering plants where seeds are enclosed within protective fruits.
Sexual reproduction involving fusion of two gametes dissimilar in size.
Multicellular male sex organ in bryophytes and pteridophytes.
Flask-shaped, multicellular female sex organ producing a single egg.
Classification based on superficial morphological characters like habit and color.
Moisture-dependent plants called 'amphibians of the plant kingdom'.
A commercial hydrocolloid substance produced by red algae (Rhodophyceae).
Classification based on the chemical constituents of plants.
Green algae characterized by chlorophyll a and b and starch storage.
Classification based on chromosome number, structure, and behavior.
The leaf-like photosynthetic organ found in brown algae.
Xanthophyll pigment giving brown algae their characteristic olive-brown color.
The haploid phase that produces gametes; dominant in bryophytes.
Multicellular asexual buds found in gemma cups on liverwort thalli.
Plants with exposed ovules resulting in 'naked seeds'.
Producing two different kinds of spores: megaspores and microspores.
Structure that attaches brown algae to the substratum.
Producing spores of only one kind (typical of most pteridophytes).
Fusion of two gametes that are similar in size.
Large leaves typical of ferns.
Small leaves found in plants like Selaginella.
Classification based on natural affinities, considering internal and external features.
Processing data of all observable characters using computers.
Fusion of a large non-motile female gamete with a small motile male gamete.
Brown algae containing chlorophyll a, c, and fucoxanthin.
Classification based on evolutionary relationships and common ancestry.
The first, filamentous stage in the moss gametophyte life cycle.
The inconspicuous thalloid gametophyte of a pteridophyte.
The first terrestrial plants to possess vascular tissues (xylem/phloem).
Storage bodies in green algae chloroplasts containing protein and starch.
Predominant red pigment in Rhodophyceae.
Red algae characterized by r-phycoerythrin and floridean starch.
Structures that attach bryophytes to the substratum.
A leaf-like appendage that subtends a sporangium.
The diploid, spore-producing phase; dominant in higher plants.
The stalk-like structure found in brown algae.
Compact structures (cones) formed by sporophylls.
A simple plant body not differentiated into roots, stem, and leaves.
Motile, flagellated asexual spores common in algae.