UNIT

9. THE PLANT KINGDOM

Plants are multicellular organisms that make their

own food through photosynthesis: they are
autotrophic. Photosynthesis takes place in the
chloroplasts of plant cells.
The water and mineral salts that plants absorb
through the roots form xylem sap. This goes up to
the leaves, where it is transformed into phloem sap
during photosynthesis.
Plants are divided into non-flowering plants and
flowering seed plants. Non-flowering plants include
liverworts, mosses and ferns. Flowering plants are
spermatophytes: they use seeds to reproduce.
Non flowering plants:
- Liverworts and mosses: these are the
most primitive plants on the Earth.
Liverworts are non-vascular and mosses
don’t have woody vascular conduits.
- Ferns: Ferns have more developed roots,
stems and leaves than mosses. They have
woody vascular conduits, but they don’t
have flowers or seeds.
The spores (reproductive cells) are
produced in the sporangia, which are
usually on the underside of the blades.
Flowering plants:
Flowering plants are spermatophytes: they use seeds
to reproduce. Flowering plants are classified into
angiosperms and gymnosperms according to the
type of flowers they have.
- Gymnosperms. Gymnosperms have the following
characteristics:
• They are woody plants.
• Gymnosperms are usually perennial (the trees
don’t lose their leaves in winter).
• The flowers are always unisexual
• They don’t have any fruit, so their seeds are
exposed to the outside.
Conifers are the largest and most well-known group
of gymnosperms. They include pine and fir trees.

- Angiosperms: angiosperm flowers can have up to

four different types of organs:
• Sepals are leaves located below the petals.
They are usually small and green. The sepals
are called “the calyx”.
• Petals are the coloured leaves that attract
insects carrying pollen. The petals are called
“the corolla”.
• Carpels (pistils) are the female reproductive
organs of a plant.
• Stamens are the male reproductive organs of
the flower.
Angiosperms produce fruit: structures that come from
the flower’s ovary and that contain one or several
seeds. Fruit can be fleshy, such as the tomato, or
dry, such as nuts.
All spermatophytes are divided into three basic parts:
the root, the stem and the leaves.

KEY WORDS. PLANT KINGDOM

1. Plants: plantas 11. Liverworts: hepáticas

2. Photosynthesis: fotosíntesis 12. Mosses: musgos
3. Chlorophyll: clorofila 13. Ferns: helechos
4. Angiosperms: angiospermas 14. Spermatophytes: espermatofitas
5. Gymnosperms: gimnospermas 15. Sepals: sépalos
6. Fruit: fruto 16. Petals: pétalos
7. Seeds: semillas 17. Carpel: carpelo o pistilo
8. Root: raíz 18. Stamens: estambres
9. Stem: tallo 19. Phloem sap: savia del floema
10. Leaf: hoja; Leaves: hojas 20. Xylem sap: savia del xilema

ACTIVITIES:

1. Choose the correct word.
a) Plants make their own inorganic / organic __________ matter through photosynthesis / respiration
___________
b) Photosynthesis takes place in the chlorophyll / chloroplasts ____________ of plant cells.
c) Plants release CO2 and H2O during respiration / photosynthesis.
d) Phloem / xylem __________ sap is composed of the substances produced during photosynthesis.
e) Flowering / non-flowering ___________ plants all have seeds.
f) The vascular conduits transport O2 and CO2 / sap ___________ around the plant.

2. Find the eight mistakes in this text and correct them.

Liverworts are vascular and mosses have woody vascular conduits. Some ferns obtain water through the
surface of the whole plant. Ferns live in dark, dry places. They have woody vascular conduits but no seeds
or leaves. The fronds are found in the sporangia, which are on the underside of the rhizomes.

3. Match the columns.

Petals Collectively, these are called the calyx.

Stamens These form the pistil.
Carpels Collectively these are called the corolla.
Sepals These are the male reproductive organs.

4. Listen and complete the sentences with the missing word. (Unit 10 page 102 ex. 1)
a) _____________ in plant cells collects solar energy.
b) _____________ is transported in the vascular _____________.
c) Water and other nutrients move from one plant cell to another during ___________.
d) The ____________ in ferns produce the spores.
e) Petals, stamens, carpels and sepals are all kinds of ___________.
f) These are two types of fruit: ___________ and ___________.
g) Gymnosperms are all ____________ plants and are usually ____________.

5. Put an X in the correct places.

Gymnosperms Angiosperms
Most are tree-like
Their flowers aren’t brightly
coloured
They have fruit
Most have thin leaves