Plants
Teaching Point #1
 Almost all plants are autotrophic, eukaryotic and
have cell walls.
Teaching Point #2
 Plants are grouped into 2 groups: nonvascular
plants, which lack a well–developed system of tubes
for transporting materials, and vascular plants,
which have a system to transport materials.
Teaching Point #3
 The 3 main major groups of nonvascular plants are
mosses, liverworts and hornworts, which all are
low-growing plants in moist areas where they can
directly absorb water and nutrients.
Teaching Point #4
 Ferns, club mosses and horsetails have vascular
tissue but do not produce seeds; instead they
reproduce by releasing spores.
Teaching Point #5
 Seed plants are vascular, use pollen and seeds to
reproduce, and have stems and leaves to provide
support and nutrients.
Teaching Point #6
 Gymnosperms produce naked seeds and
angiosperms produce flowers and fruits.
Teaching Point #7
 In gymnosperms pollen falls from a male cone onto
a female cone, and in angiosperms pollen from the
anther falls on the flower’s stigma.
Characteristics of Plants
Multi-cellular
Have cell walls
Plants
Vary in size
Make their own
energy (autotrophs)
Adaptations for living on land
Process
Water plant (algae)
Land Plant Adaptation
Obtaining water
Receive water right from
their surroundings…
always!
Cuticle: Waxy layer that
covers leaf: keeps water in
Obtaining /transporting
nutrients
Nutrients flow TO them in
the water…so easy! No
need to transport because
they are SO small.
Evolved to have transport
tissue (vascular tissue)
Support
Water holds them
up…floating along.
Rigid cell walls and roots
Reproduction
Sperm can swim to the egg
Adaptations for DRY
environments that allow
sperm to reach egg
Complex Life Cycle
 Sporophyte stage: A sporophyte
produces SPORES, which are tiny
cells that can grow into new
organisms.
 Gametophyte stage: The plant
produces sperm cells and egg cells.
What does it mean to be
vascular or nonvascular?
Nonvascular plants: NO VASCULAR TISSUE! (low-growing, no
roots for absorbing water)
Vascular plants: HAVE VASCULAR TISSUE! (Suited to life on
dry land, transport materials throughout plant, so can grow tall)
Information check
1. Name 2 ways plant cells are different from other
eukaryotic cells.
2. What adaptations do land plants have the water
plants don’t?
3. Does algae need cuticles? Why or why not?
4. How do vascular plants differ from nonvascular
plants?
5. What are the 2 major stages of a plant’s life?
Plants WITHOUT Seeds
Mosses, liverworts,
hornworts
Ferns, club mosses,
horsetails
Low growing plants
Can grow tall because they
can transport materials
Moist areas (to directly
absorb water)
Also need moist areas for
spores
Need watery surrounding
for sperm to swim to egg
Reproduce by releasing
spores
Characteristics of SEED plants
Vascular tissue:
Phloem and Xylem
Pollen
and seeds
Stems
Roots
Leaves
Purpose of each…
 Phloem: Moves the food throughout the plant so nutrients reach
EVERY cell!
 Xylem: Moves the water and minerals from soil to the rest of plant.
 Pollen: Sperm cells (that will eventually fertilize the egg cells)
 Seed: The zygote! Seed contains the young plant and PROTECTS it.
 Roots: Anchor the plant and absorb water and nutrients
 Stem: Carries substances from roots up to plant. Also, holds the plant
and leaves up so they can be exposed to sun
 Leaves: Capture sun’s energy to make food (photosynthesis!)
Information check
1. Nonvascular seedless plants are all low-growing
and live in moist areas. How are these 2
characteristics related?
2. What do you think is the MOST important
adaptation of seed plants? Why?
Angiosperms
• All have flowers(The
reproductive structure of
angiosperms)
• All have seeds
protected by a FRUIT
SEED PLANTS
• All have “naked
seeds” = NOT
protected!
• Many have needlelike leaves
Gymnosperms
Reproduction in gymnosperms
Example: Pine Tree
Wind
disperses
seed. Seed
grows into a
tree
Ovule
develops
into a seed
Tree
produces
male and
female
cones
Fertilization
occurs:
ovule seals
in pollen.
Male cone
produces
pollen grains,
which turn
into sperm
cells
Wind scatters
pollen seeds,
end up on
female cone
(ovule)
Reproduction in angiosperms
(Example: Apple Tree)
The ovary
turns into
the fruit,
which
helps
dispersal.
YUM.
Ovule of
plant
develops into
a seed!
(fertilized egg
is the embryo)
Apple tree
produces
flowers
Fertilization:
pollen
(sperm)
fertilizes egg
cell
Cells in the
anther
produce
pollen grains
Pollen
grains
trapped on
the stigma
Flower structure
Where pollen is deposited
Attract pollinators
Location of pollen
Develops
into a SEED
Ovary: Becomes the
FRUIT: dispersal of seed
Information Check
1. Why are cones important for gymnosperms?
2. Compare and contrast reproduction in
angiosperms and gymnosperms. (How are they
similar? Different?)
3. What characteristics do all angiosperms share?
4. Is the following picture a gymnosperm or
angiosperm?
Check for Understanding
 What is the difference between a vascular and nonvascular
plant? Give as many differences as you can.
 Name adaptations that distinguish flowering plants from
mosses.
 Explain the role of stomata in leaves.
 What role does a fruit play in an angiosperm’s life cycle? Give
as many details as possible.
 How does the sporophyte generation of a plant differ from the
gametophyte generation of a plant?
 What are the main functions of a plant’s roots, stems and
leaves?