(DIV) Kingdom Plantae Lesson
Kingdom Plantae Lesson
The picture on the right is of the white snakeroot plant (Ageratina altissima), a plant native to Georgia.
Plants can be further classified into one of four groups based on whether they bear seeds or spores, have flowers or cones, or have vascular tissue (tubes that conduct water/solutions):
| Vascular tissue? (conducting tubes) | Seeds or spores? | Flowers or cones? | Example | |
| Angiosperms | Yes | Seeds | Flowers | |
| Gymnosperms | Yes | Seeds | Cones | |
| Ferns | Yes | Spores | None | |
| Mosses | No | Spores | None |
The gymnosperms and angiosperms reproduce by making seeds. Angiosperms produce flowers that make seeds, while gymnosperms produce cones with seeds.
Angiosperms
Most living species of plants are angiosperms. There are two kinds of angiosperms, monocots and dicots, which are divided up based on a number of characteristics. If you look inside the seed of a monocot, a single seed leaf has developed. Corn, lilies, orchids, and grass for grazing cattle are examples of monocots. During the formation of a dicot, two leaves will appear on the embryo inside the seed. Roses, sunflowers, and oak trees are examples of dicots. The white snakeroot plant above is also a dicot.
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Gymnosperms
Gymnosperms are non-flowering seed plants. Their seeds are produced in structures called cones. Conifers are the most abundant group of gymnosperms and include pines, spruces, and junipers. They make up a very large percent of the forests around the world. Conifers are able to survive harsh environments such as rocky soil and dry places because their needle-shaped leaves do not lose water very easily compared to broadleaf trees.
Ferns
The two main groups of seedless plants are mosses and ferns. They reproduce by releasing spores into the air. The largest group of seedless plants is ferns. They have the characteristics of vascular plants; which are well developed leaves, stems, and roots with tissue that conducts water and sugars throughout the plant like the veins and arteries in our bodies.
Mosses
Mosses are nonvascular plants. They must live near water due to the lack of vascular tissues to transport water and nutrients throughout the plant. Mosses do not have vascular tissue and have to get water and transport substances by absorbing it from a neighboring cell or the environment. Mosses can grow a carpet-like mat in moist places, even on rocky mountain tops. Non-vascular plants like mosses are much smaller than vascular plants.
Complete the matching activity below:
Taking a walk on a nature trail or a park is a good way to observe the different types of plants in your environment. Wouldn't it be great if you could identify the plants? That is why a dichotomous key is useful.
A dichotomous key uses pairs of contrasting descriptions to identify unknown plants, animals, or objects. A dichotomous key progresses with general descriptions to more specific characteristics. After you choose a description, the key will prompt you to make another choice between another pair of descriptions. You will use a dichotomous key to identify plants.
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