Exploring the Major Plant Groups

Common Ancestor: Green Algae (Protists)

Characteristics:

1. Algae are eukaryotic organisms that have no roots, stems, or

leaves

2. They contain chlorophyll and other pigments for

photosynthesis.

3. Algae can be multicellular or unicellular (most frequent in

water ex. Phytoplankton).

4. Algae and fungi live in a symbiotic relationship – called

lichens.

5. Reproduction in algae can be sexual or asexual. +

**Draw a picture of three of the algae species below.

Phytoplankton Chara Spirogyra

Group 1: Mosses and Relatives Characteristics:

1. Small in size and do not flower, therefore DONOT produce

seeds

2. Reproduces using spores

3. Lack a vascular system, unable to pull up water and nutrients

from the soil at any significant distance.

4. Considered primitive plants

5. Dependent on water

**Draw a picture of moss & make an observation

Moss

Group 2: Ferns and Relatives Characteristics:

1. Plant composed of one or more fronds attached to a rhizome (base of the plant).

2. Frond = leaf of the fern

3. Has true roots and a vascular system allowing it to move

water from soil up the plants through longer distances.

4. Seedless plants which reproduce through spores.

**Tape a sample of the fern on your notebook **Draw the diagram of the fern

Ferns

Rhyzome

Group 3: Gymnosperms Characteristics:

1. Naked(exposed) seeds in female cones

2. Tall, evergreen trees

3. Contain woody stems and roots

4. Vascular tissue is present

5. Reproduce using cones

6. Found in dry or cold areas

**Cut and paste the picture of a cone **Tape a sample of a pine sprig in your notebook **Tape a sample of a pine seed in your notebook **Draw a Cycad & a Pine

Cycad Pines

Group 4: Angiosperms Characteristics:

1. Fruit with seeds

2. Have vascular tissue (specifically xylem moves water through

the plant and phloem- which moves nutrients through the

plant)

3. Flowering plants

4. Have true leaves and roots

**Create an imprint of a monocot & dicot leaf (label) **Complete and paste the seed dissection diagram **Tape seed embryo on seed **Remove a xylem, label and tape to notebook.

Apple Tree

Monocot Water Lily

Dicot