CH 12: Introduction to Plants- Study Material
Student Name ________________
Section One: What is a Plant?
Vocabulary
Non-vascular plants- the three groups of plants that lack specialized conducting tissues and true
roots, stems, and leaves.
Vascular plants- plants that have specialized tissues that conduct materials from one part of the
plant to another.
Gymnosperm- a woody, vascular seed plant whose seeds are not enclosed by an ovary or fruit.
Angiosperm- - a flowering plant that produces seeds within a fruit.
Chapter Twelve, Section One: Summary
Section one was about plant characteristics. A plant has to be able to photosynthesize, have
cuticles, cell walls, and be able to reproduce. Plants use sunlight to make food form carbon dioxide
and water. Plants have cuticles to protect them. Plants also have cell walls. Cell walls support and
protect the plant. Plants have two stages in their life, the gametophyte and sporophyte stage. Plants
make spores in the sporophyte stage. New plants are gametophyte. A fertilized egg from
a plant grows into a sporophyte Plants are either vascular or non-vascular. Vascular plants are
either seedless, nonflowering seed, and flowering seed plants. Non flowering seed plants are
gymnosperms. Flowering seed plants are angiosperms.
Section Two: Seedless Plants
Vocabulary
Rhizoid- a rootlike structure in non-vascular plants that holds the plants in place.
Rhizome- a horizontal, underground stem that produces new leaves, shoots, and roots
Chapter Twelve, Section Two: Summary
Section two was about non vascular and seedless vascular plants. Mosses, liverworts, and
hornworts are non-vascular plants. Mosses have rhizoids or a root like structure. Rhizoids help get
water and nutrients to plants. Rhizoids also keep the plant in place. Liver and hornworts also
have rhizoids. Ferns, horsetails and, club mosses are seedless vascular plants. Ferns have rhizomes.
Rhizomes are where new leaves and roots grow. Fern leaves are called frond because they look
like the end of a violin. Seedless vascular plants are used in everyday products.
CH 12: Introduction to Plants- Study Material
Student Name ________________
Section Three: Seed Plants
Vocabulary
Pollen- the tiny granules that contain the male gametophyte of seed plants
Pollination- the transfer of pollen from the male reproductive structure to the female
structures of seed plants
Chapter Twelve, Section Three: Summary
Section three was about the structure of seed plants. Seed plants do not live independently of the
sporophyte. Gametophytes of seed plants form within the sporophyte. Sperm of seed plants do
not need water to reach the egg, unlike seedless plants. Sperm form with pollen. Seeds are made
up of a sporophyte, stored food, and a seed coat. Food is stored in cotyledons. Gametophytes
reproduce by cones. The male cone fertilizes the female cone. The seed develops inside the cone
and is deposited. Angiosperms are the most common plant. Angiosperms spread their pollen by
wind or, if they have flowers, by animals. Angiosperms are either dicots or monocots.
Monocots have one cotyledon. Dicots have two cotyledons. Animals eat angiosperms. Humans
also use angiosperms as food, clothing and medicine.
Section Four: Structure of Seed Plants
Xylem- the type of tissue in vascular plants that provide support and conducts water and
nutrients from the roots.
Phloem- the tissue that conducts food in vascular plants
Sepals- protect the flower bud
Petals- colorful part of a plant that attracts insects or animals.
Pistil- the female reproductive part of a flower that produces pollen and consists of an anther at
the tip of a filament
Stamen- the male reproductive structure of a flower that produces seeds and consists of an ovary,
style, and stigma.
Ovary- the lower part of a pistil that produces ovules
Steps for the process of pollination
The stamen release pollen ------ pollen is transferred from one flower to another------pollen is
collected by the stigma of a pistil ------ ovule is fertilized ------ the seeds form
CH 12: Introduction to Plants- Study Material
Student Name ________________
Chapter Twelve, Section Four: Summary
Section four was about seed plant structures. Plants have xylem and phloem to transport water and
food. Plants have roots to supply water, hold them in the soil, and to store surplus food. Roots
have a cover called an epidermis. Roots have a root caps to protect the root tip. There are two kinds
of roots, a taproot and a fibrous root. Taproots grow downward and have many smaller roots. They
get water deep underground. Dicots and gymnosperms have taproots. Fibrous roots
have several roots that are about the same size. They get water from the surface of the soil.
Monocots have fibrous roots. Plants also have stems. Stems support the plant, transport materials,
and store materials. Soft, thin, flexible stems are called herbaceous stems. Rigid stems made of
wood and bark are called woody stems. A ring of dark cells and a ring of light cells is a growth
ring. Leaves make food for plants. Leaves have many layers. Photosynthesis takes place in the
middle layers- . Some leaves have adapted, like cacti. Flowers are used for sexual reproduction.
They produce nectar to attract insects. Sepals protect the bud, when the flower blooms the sepal
folds back. Petals are used to attract insects, the insects transport pollen to other flower. Stamens
are male reproductive structures. Stamens have filaments that are topped with anthers structures
that contain pollen. Pistils are female reproductive structures. The top of the pistil is called the
stigma. Pistils have ovaries that contain ovules. Humans use flowers for many reasons, such as
cooking.