Name ______________________________________________

Date _________________

Introduction to the Plant Kingdom

Homework/Study Guide
Directions: Compare and contrast the following pairs of terms:

1. xylem / phloem: ________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2. gymnosperm / angiosperm: ___________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3. sporophyte / gametophyte: ___________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

4. vascular plant / nonvascular plant:

___________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

5. fiddlehead / frond: _____________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

6. monocot / dicot: ________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

7. archegonium / antheridium: __________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

8. spore / seed: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Vocabulary Review:

_____________________________9. A plant tissue that transport water from the roots up to the leaves.

____________________________10. A plant tissue that transports sugar solutions throughout the plant.

____________________________11. Name given to plants that contains xylem and phloem.

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____________________________12. Name given to plants that do not contain xylem and phloem.

____________________________13. Cells that contain a true nucleus and membrane-bound organelles.

____________________________14. Strengthening tissue found in the cell walls of plants.

____________________________15. The type of reproduction that involves alternating between a haploid phase
and a diploid phase.
____________________________16. Name given to the diploid phase of the life cycle.

____________________________17. Name given to the haploid phase of the life cycle.

____________________________18. Plants produce spores by what process?

____________________________19. Name given to the female sex organs in plants.

____________________________20. Name given to the male sex organs in plants.

____________________________21. Tissue in a plant that is capable of nearly unlimited cell division causing
growth of roots and stems.
____________________________22. Type of tissue that helps to prevent water loss in land plants.

____________________________23. Plants containing vascular tissue are classified as members of what group?

____________________________24. Plants that do not contain vascular tissue are classified as members of what
group?
____________________________25. Root like structures that do not contain xylem or phloem.

____________________________26. Name given to the body of the liverwort.

____________________________27. Name given to the spore producing structure in plants.

____________________________28. The young gametophyte plant in the mosses.

____________________________29. A polymer that strengthens the walls of xylem vessels.

____________________________30. Name given to an underground stem.

____________________________31. The leaf of a fern.

____________________________32. The young gametophyte plant of a fern.

____________________________33. The appearance of many new species in a relatively short period of time
that occurs when ecological niches are made available.
____________________________34. The first leaf or pair of leaves produced by the embryo of a seed plant.

____________________________35. Name given to a root system that consists of one large main root, with
smaller branches off to the sides.
____________________________36. Name given to a root system that consists only of a mass of smaller roots.
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Short Answer Questions:

37. When the early plants began to colonize the landmasses, they were faced with problems that had to
be solved if they were to successfully live on land. List three problems or challenges to a life on land,
and describe the evolutionary solution to the problem.

Problem #1:

Solution:

Problem #2:

Solution:

Problem #3:

Solution:

38. It is believed by scientists that the green algae were the ancestors to the plants. What similarities
exist between the living green algae and plants that provide evidence of this kinship?

a)

b)

c)

39. Explain the following statement: “Bryophytes are the amphibians of the plant world.”

40. Some bryophyte gametophytes are either male or female while other bryophyte gametophytes have
both male and female reproductive parts. The bryophytes that have separate gametophytes are
more advantageous. Why?

41. What advantage do the seed plants have over the seedless plants?

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42. The bryophytes (mosses and liverworts) have plant bodies that grow very close to the ground. What
factor limits the size of the plant body? Explain your answer.

43. Describe two basic differences in alternation of generations between the bryophytes and the ferns.

a)

b)

44. It is commonly known that xylem carries water from the roots to the leaves. What other function is
served by the xylem? Explain your answer.

45. What environmental conditions in Earth’s history favored the rapid evolution of the seed plants?

46. What evolutionary adaptations allowed the seed plants to survive and thrive in this new climate?

a)

b)

c)

d)

47. Describe the three important characteristics used by scientists to divide the plant kingdom into the
four groups of plants now recognized.

a)

b)

c)

48. Life on Earth is dependent upon the plants. Explain.

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49. What are three adaptations seen in the seed plants that allow for reproduction without water?

Multiple Choice Questions:

_______50. Which of the following statements would be true about the reproduction of the vascular
plants? (a) The sporophyte generation is absent. (b) The gametophyte generation is absent.
(c) The sporophyte is large, while the gametophyte is reduced in size. (d) The gametophyte is
large, while the sporophyte is reduced in size.

_______51. Which of the following statements would be true about the reproduction of the nonvascular
plants? (a) The sporophyte generation is absent. (b) The gametophyte generation is absent.
(c) The sporophyte is large, while the gametophyte is reduced in size. (d) The gametophyte is
large, while the sporophyte is reduced in size.

_______52. All of the following statements are true about the mosses except:
(a) No vascular tissue (b) No alternation of generations (c) No true roots, stems or leaves
(d) No seeds.

_______53. The tremendous success seen in the angiosperms is due to which of the following:
(a) The delivery of the sperm to the egg via pollen. (b) The production of seeds inside fruits.
(c) More advanced and efficient vascular tissue. (d) All of these are true.

_______54. Which of the following is not true of the members of the Kingdom Plantae?
(a) All plants are multicellular organisms. (b) Plants are composed of cells that are eukaryotic.
(c) There are a few unicellular plants. (d) All plants have cellulose. (e) All plants carry out
photosynthesis.

Directions: Determine if each of the following statements is true or false. If the

statement is false, correct the underlined word to make the statement
true.

________________________55. Every seed consists of a spore, a food supply and a seed coat.
________________________56. Nonvascular plants do not need water for reproduction.
________________________57. Dicotyledons make up the majority of flowering plants.
________________________58. The spores of land plants have walls that are tough and resistant to harsh
conditions because they contain a polymer called lignin in their walls.
________________________59. All land plants are either vascular or nonvascular plants.
________________________60. The vascular plants are referred to as tracheophytes.
________________________61. The bryophytes include the mosses and the ferns.
________________________62. The production of gemmae is a method of asexual reproduction in the
liverworts.
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________________________63. Reproduction in the bryophytes is dependent upon the presence of water.
Directions: Match the plant or description in each question below with one or more
of the words from the word bank list. Some questions have only one
answer, while other questions have multiple answers.

_______________________64. Ferns

_______________________65. Xylem and phloem is absent in these groups. A. Angiosperms

B. Bryophytes
_______________________66. Members of the Kingdom Plantae.
C. Gymnosperms
_______________________67. Plants such as dogwood trees, tulips and D. Nonvascular Plants
sunflowers. E. Seedless Plants
_______________________68. First plants to evolve from the algae.
F. Seed Plants
_______________________69. ALL members produce seeds. G. Tracheophytes
H. Vascular Plants
_______________________70. ALL members produce spores.

_______________________71. ALL members produce cones.

_______________________72. Plants that reproduce by alternation of generations.

_______________________73. Xylem and phloem is present in these groups.

_______________________74. Plants such as pines, cedars, and spruce.

_______________________75. ALL members produce flowers.

_______________________76. These plants have cellulose in the cell wall.

_______________________77. Mosses.

_______________________78. These plants have true roots, stems, and leaves.

_______________________79. These plants carry out photosynthesis.

_______________________80. All members have motile gametes.

_______________________81. All members have vascular tissue, but they do not produce seeds and the sperm
must swim to the egg during reproduction.
_______________________82. Liverworts.

_______________________83. All members have nonmotile gametes.

_______________________84. All members are monocots or dicots.

_______________________85. These groups have a dominant sporophyte generation.

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_______________________86. These groups have a dominant gametophyte generation.
Directions: Which structures and stages of the life cycle of a plant are haploid?
Which are diploid? For each of the following, place the word “haploid”
or “diploid” in the blank.

____________________87. The sporophyte generation.

____________________88. Gametes (egg and sperm).

____________________89. The fern prothallus.

____________________90. Zygotes.

____________________91. A gametophyte plant.

____________________92. Spores.

____________________93. The moss protonema.

____________________94. Archegonium

____________________95. Antheridium

Graphic Organizers:

This graphic organizer can be used to show the evolution of the plants. Label the following on the
diagram below: The ancestor to the land plants, the four groups of living plants in the order they evolved,
and the unique derived character that led to the evolution of the next group.

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This graphic organizer can be used to show the classification of the living groups of plants on earth today.
Place the following terms in the correct box: (1) The Plant Kingdom, (2) seedless plants, (3) bryophytes,
(4) tracheophytes, (5) ferns, (6) angiosperms, (7) liverworts and mosses, (8) seed plants, (9) monocots,
(10) gymnosperms, (11) dicots.

This graphic organizer shows the stages of alternation of generations in plants. The starting point has
been provided for you. Complete the remainder of the plant life cycle.

Sporophyte
Plant
(2N)

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Use this graphic organizer to compare the characteristics of the monocots and the dicots.

Characteristics of Monocots and Dicots

Monocots Dicots
Seeds

Leaves

Flowers

Stems

Roots

Copyright © March 2013 Amy Brown (aka Science Stuff)

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 *** Answer Key***
1. Both xylem and phloem are types of vascular (conducting) tissue found in the tracheophytes. Xylem
carries water from the roots to the leaves of the plant. Phloem carries sugars from the leaves
throughout the body of the plant.

2. Gymnosperms and angiosperms are two of three groups of vascular plants. (Ferns are the third
group of vascular plants.) Gymnosperms are the cone-bearing plants. Angiosperms are the
flowering plants.

3. The sporophyte generation and the gametophyte generation are the two halves of plant reproduction
called alternation of generation. The sporophyte is the diploid phase. The sporophyte produces
spores by meiosis. The gametophyte is the haploid phase of alternation of generations. The
gametophyte plant produces gametes.

4. All living plants are divided into two large groups, the vascular plants and the nonvascular plants.
Vascular plants contain vascular tissue (xylem and phloem) and are referred to as tracheophytes.
Nonvascular plants do not contain xylem and phloem and are referred to as bryophytes.

5. The frond is the leaf of the fern. The fiddlehead is the young sporophyte plant. The fiddlehead grows
and matures into the frond.

6. All angiosperms are divided into two groups, the monocots and the dicots. Monocots have one
cotyledon, parallel leaf venation, flower parts in multiples of 3, scattered vascular tissue in the stem,
and a fibrous root system. Dicots have two cotyledons, netted or branched leaf venation, flower
parts in multiples of 4’s or 5’s, vascular tissue arranged in a ring around the stem, and a taproot
system.

7. The archegonium and the antheridium are the sex organs of plants. The archegonium is the female
sex organ. The antheridium is the male sex organ.

8. A spore is a haploid reproductive cell. A spore is formed as a result of meiosis, and consists of a
single cell. A seed is the multicellular embryo of a living plant encased inside a protective seed coat
and surrounded by a food supply (endosperm).

9. xylem
10. phloem
11. vascular plants
12. nonvascular plants
13. eukaryotic
14. cellulose
15. alternation of generations
16. sporophyte
17. gametophyte
18. meiosis
19. archegonia
20. antheridia
21. apical meristems (meristematic tissues)
22. cuticle or bark

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23. tracheophytes
24. bryophytes
25. rhizoids
26. thallus
27. sporangium
28. protonema
29. lignin
30. rhizome
31. frond
32. prothallus
33. adaptive radiation
34. cotyledons
35. taproot system
36. fibrous root system

37. Problem #1: Dehydration.

Solution: Plants have outer coverings that reduce the amount of water loss, in the form of waxy
cuticles or bark.

Problem #2: Lack of structural support against gravity.

Solution: Well developed root systems and lignified xylem.

Problem #3: Reproduction in the absence of water.

Solution: Sperm is delivered to the egg via pollen grains.

38. Similarities between green algae and plants include:

a) Land plants are multicellular, eukaryotic, photosynthetic autotrophs just as the algae are.
b) Plants have cell walls made of cellulose, as do the algae.
c) Chloroplasts with chlorophylls a and b are present in the plants as well as the algae.

39. The amphibians are tied to a watery existence. They require water for reproduction because they
have external fertilization and the sperm must swim through water to reach the egg. The amphibian
body has a naked skin with no protection from dehydration.

The bryophytes are similar to the amphibians in that they require water for fertilization. Although
some species of bryophytes do possess a waxy cuticle, most bryophytes have little protection from
drying out.

40. Hermaphroditic gametophytes may produce offspring that are genetically identical if the sperm
fertilizes the egg of the same gametophyte. Zygotes produced by gametophytes of separate sexes will
have an advantage since there will be variation among the offspring.

41. Seeds are an evolutionary innovation to plants that live on land. Fertilization of the egg does not
require water and seeds can withstand harsh conditions for days, months or years and still remain
viable. The embryo is enclosed inside the seed along with a food source, and is protected by a tough
seed coat.

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42. Bryophytes lack vascular tissue and, therefore, have no means of conducting water to the top of the
plant. These plants can draw up water by osmosis only a few centimeters above the ground. This
prevents them from growing very big.

43. Differences in alternation of generation between the bryophytes and the ferns.
a) Bryophytes have a dominant gametophyte generation. The ferns (tracheophytes) have a
dominant sporophyte generation.
b) In the bryophytes, the sporophyte generation does not exist as a separate plant from the
gametophyte. It is parasitic upon the gametophyte generation. In the ferns, the sporophyte
plant and the gametophyte plant (prothallus) are separate and independent from one another.

44. The xylem is lignified. The walls of the xylem are strengthened by a polymer called lignin. Not only
does the xylem provide for the transport of water up the plant, it also provides structure and support
against gravity.

45. The seed plants evolved 300 to 400 million years ago. During this time, the landmasses were much
wetter than they are today. As a result, mosses and ferns flourished and dominated the landmasses.
As the continents became dryer, it was harder for seedless plants to survive. Many of the them
became extinct. Seed plants began to thrive because they were better suited to the dryer
environment. The newly evolving seed plants had better protection from dehydration and they
could produce seeds. Both were advantages to a life on land.

46. Evolutionary adaptations that allowed the seed plants to survive:

a) A waxy cuticle or bark to prevent dehydration.
b) Delivery of the sperm to the egg via pollen. Water is not required for fertilization.
c) The production of seeds that can withstand harsh conditions.
d) The early seed plants were gymnosperms. They have leaves that are reduced to needles. This
prevents excessive water loss from the leaf due to transpiration.
e) Many plants have “sunken stomata” which helps to reduce water loss due to transpiration.

47. Three important characteristics used to divide the plant kingdom into groups are:
a) The presence or absence of vascular tissue.
b) Whether or not seeds are produced.
c) The production of flowers, and the production of seeds contained within fruits.

48. Plants are the producers in every food chain. By carrying out photosynthesis, plants convert
inorganic compounds into organic compounds (glucose molecules). This provides food for all
heterotrophs. In addition, photosynthesis releases oxygen into the atmosphere.

49. Three adaptations seen in the seed plants that allow for reproduction without water:
a) Flowers or cones.
b) The transfer of sperm by pollination.
c) The protection of embryos within seeds.

50. c
51. d
52. b
53. d
54. c
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55. False. The underlined word should be “embryo”.
56. False. The underlined word should be “do”.
57. True.
58. False. The underlined word should be “sporopollenin”.
59. True.
60. True.
61. False. The underlined word should be “liverworts”.
62. True.
63. True.

64. E, G, H
65. B, D
66. All
67. A, F, G, H
68. B, D
69. A, C, F
70. All
71. C
72. All
73. A, C, E, F, G, H
74. C, F, G, H
75. A
76. All
77. B, D
78. A, C, E, F, G, H
79. All
80. B, D
81. E
82. B, D
83. A, C, F
84. A
85. A, C, E, F, G, H
86. B, D

87. diploid
88. haploid
89. haploid
90. diploid
91. haploid
92. haploid
93. haploid
94. haploid
95. haploid

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Graphic Organizers:

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 Characteristics of Monocots and Dicots
Monocots Dicots
Seeds One cotyledon Two cotyledons

Leaves Parallel veins Branched veins

Flowers Flower parts in multiples of 3 Flower parts in multiples of 4 or 5

Stems Vascular bundles scattered throughout the stem Vascular bundles arranged in a ring in the stem

Roots Fibrous root system Taproot system

Created by Amy Brown – Science Stuff

Copyright © March 2013 Amy Brown (aka Science Stuff)
All rights reserved by author.
This document is for your classroom use only.
This document may not be electronically distributed or posted to a web site.

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