What are the Characteristics of Plants?

Plants are pretty to look at. We decorate our homes with them. PLANT DIVISIONS
We work hard to grow gardens and thick lawns. Sometimes,
we give flowers to loved ones. The plant kingdom is divided into two large groups called
divisions--the vascular [VAS-kyuh-lur] plants and the nonvascular
Plants give us pleasure, but they are even more important. plants.
Without plants, there could be no life on Earth!
VASCULAR PLANTS belong to the division Tracheophyta [TRAY-
Plants give us oxygen. They also give us food. In fact, all of kee-uh-fyt-uh]. Vascular plants have stems, roots and leaves. All
the food we eat comes from plants--either directly or indirectly. of the plants in this division also have a vascular system. A
vascular system is a system of connecting tubes. These tubes
You probably recognize a plant when you see one. However, carry water and dissolved nutrients to all parts of the plant.
as you have learned, some algae look like plants. How can
you tell if an organism is a plant? All plants have these The vascular plants are the most complex plants. Most of the
characteristics: plants you know belong to this group of plants. The vascular
plants include ferns, trees, roses and other flowering plants.
1. Plants have many cells.
NONVASCULAR PLANTS belong to the division Bryophyta
2. The cells of a plant form tissues and organs. [BRY-uh-fyt-uh]. The plants in this division are very simple.
Nonvascular plants do not have true roots, stems or leaves.
3. Plant cells are surrounded by a rigid cell wall. This cell wall
is made up of a nonliving substance called cellulose [SEL-yoo- They also have no vascular system.
lohs]. the cell wall helps give a plant its stiffness.
Examples of nonvascular plants include mosses, liverworts
4. Plants make their own food. The cells of green plants and hornworts. You have probably seen moss. It grows in
contain structures called choloroplasts [KLAWR-uh-plasts]. moist, shaded areas. It is commonly found on the soil under
Chloroplasts contain the green substance, chlorophyll trees, in sidewalk cracks, and on walls.
[KLAWR-uh-fil]. Chlorophyll is needed for a plant to make its
own food. Most food-making takes place in the leaves of green
plants. This is where most of the chlorophyll is found. The leaf
of the plant can be thought of as the plant’s “food-factory.”
COMPLETE THE CHART

Some of the characteristics listed in the chart below are true of tracheophytes only. Some are true only of bryophytes. Some of the
characteristics are found in tracheophytes and bryophytes.
Answer the questions by putting a “YES” or “NO” in the space provided.
DIVISION
Tracheophyta Bryophyta
1. Are they vascular plants?
2. Do their cells have cell walls?
3. Are they nonvascular plants?
4. Do they have a system of connecting tubes?
5. Do their cells contain chloroplasts?
6. Are they made up of many cells?
7. Do they have true roots, stems and leaves?
8. Can they make their own food?
9. Do mosses belong to this group?
10. Do trees belong to this group?
11. Are they very simple plants?
12. Are they complex plants?
13. Do liverworts belong to this group?
14. Do roses belong to this group?
15. Do ferns belong to this group?

SEEDS
Some plants reproduce by spores. For example, ferns are common spore plants.
Most plants, however, reproduce by seeds. A seed is a reproductive structure. All seed plants are
vascular plants.
Biologists classify seed plants into two groups. One group has uncovered seeds. This group is
called gymnosperms [JIM-nuh-spurms]. The other group’s seeds have tough outer coverings. This
group is called angiosperms [AN-jee-uh-spurms].
The most common and best known of the gymnosperms are the evergreens. Evergreens produce
cones. Their seeds are in the cones. Evergreens also have special leaves called needs. The
needles stay green throughout the year. Pines, cedars and spruces are gymnosperms.
Angiosperms are the flowering plants. Most of the common plants you see everyday are angiosperms. In some angiosperms, such as roses
and tulips, the flowers are very noticeable. In others, the flowers are very small. Grasses, oak trees and corn are angiosperms. Have you ever
seen their flower?
GYNMOSPERM OR ANGIOSPERM?
Classify each of the plants below as a gymnosperm or an angiosperm. Then write whether each has an uncovered seed or a covered seed.

1. A corn plant is a _________________. It has __________________ seeds.

Gymnosperm/Angiosperm uncovered, covered

2. A pine tree is a __________________. It has __________________ seeds.

Gymnosperm/Angiosperm uncovered, covered

3. A spruce tree is a ___________________. It has ____________________ seeds.

Gymnosperm/Angiosperm uncovered, covered

4. A tulip is a ___________________. It has ____________________ seeds.

Gymnosperm/Angiosperm uncovered, covered

5. The most common gymnosperms are the _________________________________.

evergreens, grasses

6. Most plants reproduce by ___________________.

spores, seeds

7. Angiosperms are _______________________.

cones, flowers

8. Evergreens have special leaves called ______________________. needles, flowers

 What are the parts of a flower?
Not all plants have flowers. But in plants that do, the flower is the Study Figure A. Then fill in the blanks.
organ of sexual reproduction. A flower makes a plant’s sex cells, or Anther
gametes. Male and female gametes join to produce seeds. Each
seed may grow into a new plant.

The bottom of a flower is surrounded by special leaves called sepals

[SEE-puls]. Sepals protect the flower bud.

The petals of a flower are just inside the sepals. Petals are another
kind of special leaf. Petals are the colorful leaves that protect the
reproductive organs.

The most important parts of a flower are the stamens [STAY-muns]

and the pistil.

STAMENS The stamen is the male reproductive organ of a plant. Figure A

Most flowers have several stamens.
1. Name the male reproductive organ of a plant.
A single stamen has two parts: thread-like filament [FIL-uh-munt],
and a knob-like anther. The anther is at the top of the filament. 2. Name the female reproductive organ of a plant.

An anther makes a powdery substance called pollen. Pollen grains 3. Pollen is made by the
are the male sex cells of a plant.
4. Eggs are made by the
PISTIL The pistil is the female reproductive organ of a flower. It is
located in the center of the flower. Some flowers have more than 5. How many stamens does this flower have?
one pistil.
6. a) Name the parts of a stamen.
The lower part of a pistil bulges. This bulge is the ovary [OH-vur-ee].
An ovary contains one or more ovules [OH-vyoolz]. Each ovule has b) Which part of a stamen makes the pollen?
an egg cell. Egg cells are the female sex cells. Fertilization of an
egg by a pollen grain takes place in the ovule. A fertilized egg 7. What is the swollen part of a pistil called?
becomes a seed. What will a seed produce?
8. a) How many ovules does this ovary have?

b) How many eggs are in each ovule?

9. What do the sepals do?

10. What do you call a flower’s colorful special leaves?

 Some flowers have only stamens. They are male or staminate [STAM- FILL IN THEstamens
BLANK anther egg
uh-nit] flowers. ovary seed ovules
Complete each
sexstatement
cells usingpistil
a term or terms from the list
gametes
 Some flowers have only pistils. They are female or pistillate [PIS-tuh-lit] below. Write your answers in the spaces provided. Some words
flowers. may be used more than once.
 A flower that has only pistils or stamens is an imperfect flower. 1. A female sex cell is called an _____________________ .
 Most plants have both stamens and a pistil. They are called perfect
2. Pollen grains are a male plant’s _____________________ .
flowers.
3. Sex cells also are called _____________________ .

4. The male part of a plant is made up of several

_____________________ .

5. The part of a stamen that makes pollen is the ________________.

6. The entire female plant part is the _____________________ .

7. The swollen part of a pistil is the _____________________ .

8. An ovary has special parts called _____________________ .

9. An ovule contains a single _____________________ .

10. A fertilized plant egg cell becomes a _____________________ .