Question

Explain the four types of plants that fall under the category of kingdom Plantae and state the differences between them.

Answer 1

Mosses and liverworts
1) Small plants with simple leaves or leaf-like shape

2) Simple "rhizoids" for water absorption, but practically no water conducting tissue

3) Found in damp places

4) Spores spread by air currents, but sex cells must swim from one plant to another.

Ferns (and horsetails)
1) Slightly larger plants with spreading leaves (fronds), roots and some conducting and strengthening tissue

2) Mostly found in damp places

3) Dry spores produced in structures on underside of leaves in autumn, after sex cells swim from plant to plant.

Conifers
1) Larger plants, mostly "evergreen" trees

2) Needles or small leaves to reduce water loss

3) Cones for reproduction: Male cones produce pollen that blows in wind from tree to tree, female cones after fertilisation contain seeds that develop slowly

4) Good at surviving in cold & dry climates, and in poor soil

5) Grow quite efficiently, planted to produce "softwood".

Flowering plants
1) Many plants, varying in size from small herbs to large trees

2) Some flowers are conspicuous - large and brightly coloured (probably insect-pollinated)

3) Others are inconspicuous - small, maybe even green (probably wind-pollinated)

4) After fertilisation, seed develops quickly inside fruit

5) Fruit is usually specialised to help spread (disperse) seed: by animals, wind, water, or by mechanical methods.