Defining Characteristics of Plants

Roots (Coloured Yellow/Orange)

In Bryophytes and Pteridophytes, they didnt have vascular tissue in their roots so their roots are
called rhizoids (if they were in the gametophyte stage) and are called hyphae (if they were in the
sporophyte stage). If the plant has vascular tissue in its roots then they are called actual roots.
Dispersal (Coloured Black)
Bryophytes and Pteridophytes used spores for dispersal. This would occur after mitosis (not
fertilization) meaning that they spread their genes during their haploid stage. They use wind for
dispersal. Unlike Bryophytes and Pteridophytes, Gymnosperm dont use spores for dispersal,
instead they use seeds and pollen. Seeds are tough like spores but they are 2n. Because they are
2n their main job is to protect the growing embryo as it is very delicate but still small enough to
be moved. Pollen, unlike flagellated sperm, can travel very far as it uses the wind for
transportation. Because the Angiosperms have a delicious layer of fruit protecting the embryo
they mostly rely on vector pollination (animals eating and moving the seeds) instead of wind
pollination. Like Gymnosperm they also are diploid as they are seeds.
Sperm and Egg (Coloured Green)
Bryophytes and Pteridophytes both have flagellated sperm which means that the sperm need
water to swim through to reach the archegonium. On a Bryophyte, the sperm swim to a female
moss. On a Pteridophyte (which is homosporus) the sperm travel with the water from the edge of
the prothallus (where the antheridiums are) to the center of the prothallus (where the
archegoniums are). Unlike Bryophytes and Pteridophytes, Gymnosperm and Angiosperm have
pollen that travels by wind to reach other plants. They also 'drop' their pollen cones (which
contain the pollen) and ovulate cones (which contain the eggs) at separate times. This allows a
greater biodiversity of plants to be created.
Vascular Tissue (Coloured Sky Blue)
There are two types of vascular tissue; Xylem and Phloem. Xylem brings water from the roots to
the shoots for photosynthesis and other jobs. Phloem brings photosynthesis products from the
shoots to the roots. All plants have vascular tissue in their sporophyte stage but not in their
Bryophyte stage. Like before we learned that Bryophytes have a shorter time period in their
sporophyte stage than angiosperm or gymnosperm. It makes sense that they also don't have as
much vascular tissue as Gymnosperm or Angiosperm. Bryophytes have vascular tissue only in
the tube between the sproangium and the gametophyte part. This means that they have no
vascular tissue in their roots or leaves. Similarly, the Pteridophytes also dont have vascular
tissue in their roots or fronds. As plants evolve, they begin to develop more structures containing
vascular tissue. Gymnosperms have vascular tissue in their leaves and roots allowing them to
move nutrients anywhere it is needed. Because they can move nutrients around themselves, they
can grow bigger and stronger. Angiosperms also have the same system as Gymnosperm because
they have vascular tissue in their roots and leaves too. We know vascular tissue is a good
adaptation because as plants evolve they develop more of this tissue.
Haploid vs. Diploid (Coloured Red)
The Bryophytes dominant stage is haploid because it spends most of its life in the gametophyte

stage. Unlike the Bryophytes, the Pteridophytes, the Gymnosperms and the Angiosperms all
have the same dominant stage being sporophyte. The sporophyte stage is diploid. The
Pteridophytes lives most of its life in the sporophyte stage, while Gymnosperms and
Angiosperms live their entire life in this stage except for a few weeks in which it can grow and
fertilize.