THE EVOLUTION AND
CLASSIFICATION OF PLANTS
IAFNR Plant and Soil Sciences Module
TERMS TO KNOW
 Taxonomy
 the process or system of
describing the way in which
different living things are related
by putting them in groups
 Nomenclature
 an international system of
standardized New Latin names
used in biology for kinds and
groups of kinds of animals and
plants
EVOLUTION OF PLANTS
 Earliest known life-form dated 3.5 Billion years ago
 1 Billion years ago
 Bacteria and blue-green algae
 Fungi
 400 Million years ago
 Early land plants
 350 Million years ago
 Seed plants
 120 Million years ago
 Flowering plants
Image retrieved from: http://www.theluxuryspot.com/health-benefits-of-algae/
GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION OF PLANTS
If you could choose
anywhere in the world to
live, where would you
live?
What is the main reason
you want to live there?
GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION OF PLANTS
 Climate
 Primary factor in plant distribution
 Plants have individual adaptions
and tolerance
 Biomes
 Large area occupying given climate
zones with characteristics of
vegetation and groups of animal
species
 Tropical Rainforest
 Desert
 Tundra
Image retrieved from: http://www.worldmapsonline.com/np_geo/world_bathymetry_vdg.htm
LOCATION ADAPTATIONS
Dry Climates
 Xeromorphic features




Smaller, thicker leaves
Spines
Dense hairiness
Water Storage
Image retrieved from:
http://greenwoodtrees.blogspot.com/
2011/03/sedum.html
Cold Zones
 Grow closer to ground
 Protected growing points
 Small, Needle-like leaves
Image retrieved from:
http://www.homeidearesourc
e.com/landscaping-plantsfor-cold-climates
ROLE AND USES OF PLANTS
 Role of Plants
 Base of the food chain
 Provides evidence of nutrient
and energy cycling
Image retrieved
from:
http://www.dive
rseeds.eu/DVD/
Home.html
 Plant Uses
 To eat
 Industrial purposes
 Medicinal
 Oils
Image retrieved from:
http://cooksncrooks.blogspot.com/2011/02/well-seasoned-pan.html
TAXONOMY
 the process or system of describing the way in which different living things
are related by putting them in groups
 Different ways to classify plants




Phylogenetic—how they look
Environmental—where they grow
Agricultural—what use they are grown for
Morphological—how their structure compares to each other
TAXONOMIC PROCESS AND RANKS
 Kingdom-Highest Classification
Ranking (5)
 Plantae-Plants
 Animalia-Animals
 Monera-Bacteria and Blue-Green
Algae
 Protista-All other Algae and
Protozoans
 Mycota-Fungi
 Phylum-Second Classification
Ranking
 Plantae- Phylums are unranked
 Classified by reproductive
structure and Vascular structure
 Class- Third Classification
Ranking
 Specific to plant structure and
presence of/ kinds of seeds
Image retrieved from:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biol
ogical_classification
SUBKINGDOMS
Thallobionta
 Contains plants lacking
 True roots
 Stems
 Leaves
 Composed of 10 divisions of
algae and fungi
 Algae and Fungi no longer classified in
Plantae Kingdom
Embryobionta
 Composed of two groups
 Bryophyta
 Vascular Plants
BRYOPHYTES
 Non-Vascular Plants
 Simple structure
 Lack true roots, stems,
and leaves
 Found in moist places or
in water
 Liverworts and mosses
(see photo)
Image retrieved from:
http://www.hiddenforest.co.nz/bryophytes/liverworts/leafy/trichocoleaceae/trich01.htm
VASCULAR PLANTS
 Plants have true roots, stems, and leaves
 Established vascular system
 Xylem and phloem
 Contains 7 divisions
 3 represented by very few species
 1 extinct
Image retrieved from:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki
/Vascular_tissue
 Only known in fossils
 Polpodiophyta-Ferns
 Pinophyta-Gymnosperms
 Magnoliophyta-Angiosperms
Image retrieved from: http://emhsbot-zoo.wikispaces.com/Plants
SPERMATOPHYTES
Gymnosperms
 Naked-Seeded Plants
 Woody, perennial, and mostly
evergreen plants
 Reproductive organs
 Cones or catkins with seeds
uncovered
Image retrieved from:
http://www.ck12.org/book/CK12-Life-Science-Concepts-ForMiddle-School/section/7.10/
Angiosperms
 Flowers and Protected Seeds (in
fruits)
 Divisions of Class
 Monocots
 Dicots
 Based on the numbers of cotyledons
or seed leaves in the seed
Image retrieved from:
http://bioweb.uwlax.edu/bio203/s20
12/cejka_laur/adaptation.htm
CLASSIFICATION CHART PROJECT
 Example Plant
Classification Chart
 http://popplet.com/
app/#/2152151
 In your chart classify
 1 Polypodiophyta
 1 Gymnosperm
 1 Angiosperm
REFERENCES
Nomenclature. (n.d.). Retrieved October 30, 2014, from http://www.merriamwebster.com/dictionary/nomenclature
Parker, R. (2010). Plant and Soil Science: Fundamentals and Applications. Clifton
Park, NY: Delmar.
Taxonomy. (n.d.). Retrieved October 30, 2014, from http://www.merriamwebster.com/dictionary/taxonomy