BOTANY The Study of Plants

Part 1: Classifying Plants

Classifying Plants B.) Vascular plants  Have vascular tissue  Can be taller and live farther away from water

Further Classification 2.) Next – vascular plants are divided up based on whether they have seeds A) Seedless vascular plants  Have adapted leaves to protect the developing reproductive cells = sporangia  Still need standing water for reproduction  Examples = ferns

Further Classification B.) Vascular plants with seeds  Seeds = an embryo and its food supply inside a tough, protective coat  Advantage is they are independent of water for reproduction (like what the amniote egg did for animals)

Even further… 3.) Third division is based on whether the seed in the vascular plants are enclosed & protected by fruit or not enclosed & protected by fruit A) Gymnosperms  have naked seeds that are not enclosed  seeds are released by cones (like pinecones)  Examples = conifers like cycads, ginkgos and evergreens

Even Further… B.) Angiosperms  Produce seeds enclosed in fruits  The fruit provides protection for the seeds and helps in seed dispersal  Examples = flowering plants

One last division… 4.) One last division of Angiosperms is based on the number of cotyledons (leaf-like structures that store or absorb food for the developing embryo) contained in the seeds

Monocots vs. Dicots A) Monocots  One seed leaf  Veins on leaves run parallel  Examples = grasses B) Dicots  Two seed leaves  Veins on leaves are netlike  Examples = trees, wildflowers

Monocots vs. Dicots

Part 2: Reproduction in Plants A) Flowers & flowering:  The process of sexual reproduction in flowering plants takes place in a flower. The flower is a complex structure made of several organs. There are many sizes, shapes and colors of flowers, yet all share a basic structure that is made up of four kinds of organs:  Sexual Reproduction

4 organs of a flower 1) Petals – colorful structures at the top of a flower stem, used to attract pollinators 2) Sepals – green leaf-like structures that encircle the stem just below the petals, protective covering for the flower bud 3) Stamens – male reproductive organ of the flower, made up of the: a) Anther – at the tip, produces pollen that eventually contains sperm b) Filament – supports the anther 4) Pistils – female reproductive organ of the flower, made up of the: a) Stigma – sticky pollen trap at the tip b) Style – supports the stigma c) Ovary – structure at the bottom that contains ovules (eggs)

Making more flowers… Pollination b.) Pollination:  transfer of pollen grains from the anther to the stigma  they can be carried by wind, water or animals Fertilization c.) Fertilization:  union of gametes (egg & sperm)  become a seed

D. Seeds & Fruits: 1) How does fruit form?  A fruit is a structure that contains the seeds  As seeds develop the surrounding ovary grows larger and becomes the fruit

Seeds & Fruits  Some have fleshy fruits like apples and melons

Seeds & Fruits  Some have dry fruits like peanuts and sunflower “seeds”

2.) What are some methods of seed dipersal?  Animals through spitting, digestion, gathering or sticking to fur  Water by floating in air pockets  Wind – small & light

How are new plants reproduced ASEXUALLY?  Vegetative reproduction:  New plants are produced from existing plant organs or parts of organs  New plants have the same genetic makeup as the original plant (remember from before about the advantages & disadvantages of asexual reproduction)

Group Plant Assignment  Your group is to research a plant (chosen from the deck of cards) and make an iMovie about it…  Under 2 minutes  Creative  Informative & Accurate  Include the following information…

Required Information for Plant iMovie  Is this plant vascular or non-vascular? What does that mean?  Is this plant Seedless or Have seeds?  Fruit or No fruit?  Gymnosperm or Angiosperm (or neither)?  Monocot or Dicot (or neither)?  Does it have flowers? If so, what are they like?  How is its pollen typically transferred? (by what)  What are its seeds like?  Describe its fruit.  What are its methods of seed dispersal  Does this type of plant undergo vegetative reproduction? Why or why not?  Interesting uses of this plant or other interesting facts about it (3)