AP Biology: Plants, Chapter 11 - Adaptations for Land

Lignin

A complex polymer, the chief noncarbohydrate constituent of wood, that binds to cellulose fibers and hardens and strengthens the cell walls of plants.

Lignin

A complex, noncarbohydrate polymer found in cell walls, whose function is to provide mechanical support to the cell, as in xylem VESSELS and bark fibres.

Xylem

A compound tissue in vascular plants that helps provide support and that conducts water and nutrients upward from the roots, consisting of tracheids, vessels, parenchyma cells, and woody fibers.

Sporopollenin

A decay-resistant complex biopolymer that constitutes the outer wall of spores and pollen grains.

Pollen

A fine to coarse powdery substance comprising pollen grains which are male microgametophytes of seed plants, which produce male gametes (sperm cells).

Lignin

A hard material embedded in the cellulose matrix of vascular plant cell walls that functions as an important adaptation for support in terrestrial species.

Lignin

A hard material embedded in the cellulose matrix of vascular plant cell walls that functions as an important adaptation for support in terrestrial species; reason why vascular plants can grow tall

Cuticle

A layer coating the epidermis of higher plants and consisting of lipid and hydrocarbon polymers impregnated with wax; synthesized by the epidermal cells.

Cuticle

A layer of lipid polymer impregnated with waxes that is present on the outer surfaces of the primary organs of all vascular land plants.

Xylem

A plant tissue that conducts water and mineral salts from the roots to all other parts, provides mechanical support, and forms the wood of trees and shrubs.

Cuticle

A protecting film covering the epidermis of leaves, young shoots and other aerial plant organs without periderm; synthesized by the epidermal cells.

Cell Wall

A rigid structure that lies just outside of and is joined to the plasma membrane of plant cells and most prokaryotic cells, which protects the cell and maintains its shape.

Cuticle

A structural adaptation in plants which helps retard water loss, and allows plants to live in more dry and arid environments.

Xylem

A structural adaptation which serves to transport water and nutrients over great distances.

Root

A structural adaptations which allows plants to absorb water and nutrients from the soil.

Xylem

A structural component which transports water an minerals through vessel elements and tracheids, dead cells at maturity.

Xylem

A structural component which transports water and soluble mineral nutrients from the roots throughout the plant; used to replace water lost during transpiration and photosynthesis.

Cell Wall

A structural layer composed of cellulose surrounding some types of cells, situated outside the cell membrane; provides the cell with both structural support and protection.

Gametangia

A structure in which gametes are produced; provides a protective jacket of cells that prevents drying out.

Seed

A structure which functions in the nourishment of the embryo, dispersal to a new location, and dormancy during unfavorable conditions.

Cell Wall

A thick, rigid coat formed outside the CELL MEMBRANE of plants, fungi and most bacteria; responsible for the shape of the organism and for protecting internal parts of the cell from damage.

Root Hair

A thin hairlike outgrowth of an epidermal cell of a plant root that absorbs water and minerals from the soil.

Xylem

A tissue in vascular plants that carries water and dissolved minerals up from the roots through the stem to the leaves and provides support for the softer tissues.

Phloem

A tissue in vascular plants that conducts food from the leaves to the other plant parts; consists primarily of tube-like cells that have porous openings.

Sporopollenin

A tough polymer found in the walls of spores and proteins; protects plants in a hard terrestrial environment.

Sporopollenin

A tough polymer resistant to almost all kinds of environmental damage; protects plants in harsh terrestrial environments.

Root Hair

A tubular outgrowth of a trichoblast, a hair-forming cell on the epidermis of a plant root; functions to collect water and mineral nutrients present in the soil and take this solution up through the roots to the rest of the plant.

Cuticle

A water permeability barrier that prevents evaporation of water from the epidermal surface, and also prevents external water and solutes from entering the tissues.

Cuticle

A waxy layer that covers the outermost tissue layer of a plant; secreted by the epidermis and helps prevent water loss and infection by parasites.

Lignin

A woody substance closely associated with cellulose in plants and grouped with the polysaccharides; embedded in the xylem to provide support.

Sporopollenin

Aa major component of the tough outer walls of plant spores and pollen grains; helps protect plants in a hard terrestrial environment.

Seed

An adaptation allowing plants a means of dispersing offspring; the product of the ripened ovule in plants, after fertilization.

Cell Wall

An adapted cellular modification allowing plants whose cells, unsupported by a watery environment, to maintain their own shape.

Root Hair

An elongated tubular extension of an epidermal cell of a root, serving to absorb water and minerals from the soil.

Seed

An embryonic plant enclosed in a protective outer covering; a means of dispersing offspring in plants.

Lignin

An insoluble polysaccharide that with cellulose and hemicellulose forms the chief part of the skeletal substances of the cell walls of plants.

Root Hair

Any of the hollow hairlike outgrowths of the outer cells of a root, just behind the tip, that absorb water and salts from the soil.

Gametangia

Cells which encase gametes and zygotes within a protective jacket of cells, that prevents drying out.

Phloem

Composed of still-living cells that transport sap; the sap is a water-based solution, but rich in sugars made by photosynthesis, which are transported to non-photosynthetic parts of the plant.

Cell Wall

Give cells rigidity and strength, offering protection against mechanical stress; composed primarily of cellulose.

Root Hair

Important surface over which plants absorb most of their water and nutrients; have a large surface area, which makes absorbing water during osmosis and minerals during active uptake more efficient.

Xylem

One of the two types of transport tissue in vascular plants; functions to transport water from roots to shoots and leaves, but it also transports some nutrients.

Root

The descending and subterranean part of a plant; serves to absorb water and nutrients from the soil.

Root

The descending underground portion of a plant; it absorbs water and nutrients, provides support, and stores nutrients.

Phloem

The living tissue that transports the soluble organic compounds made during photosynthesis, in particular the sugar sucrose, to all parts of the plant where needed.

Pollen

The male fertilizing element of flowering plants.

Pollen

The male fertilizing element of flowering plants; allows plants a means of dispersing offspring.

Seed

The mature ovule of a flowering plant; encased in a protective coat that prevents desiccation.

Gametangia

The organ in which the GAMETES are produced in lower plants; provides a protective jacket of cells that prevents drying out.

Root

The organ of a plant that typically lies below the surface of the soil; may grow up above the ground or above water.

Root

The organ of a plant which typically lies below the surface of the soil; serves to structurally support the plant, and compete with other plants and for uptake of nutrients from the soil.

Root

The part of a plant which grows below ground; provides anchorage for the aerial parts, absorbs water and mineral salts from the soil, conducts water and nutrients to other parts of the plant

Phloem

The part of a vascular bundle consisting of sieve tubes, companion cells, parenchyma, and fibers and forming the food-conducting tissue of a plant.

Seed

The product of the ripened ovule, after fertilization by pollen and some growth within the mother plant; the embryo is developed from the zygote and the protective coat from the integuments of the ovule.

Cuticle

The protective layer, containing cutin, that covers the epidermis of higher plants.

Seed

The structure formed in the fertilized ovule of an ANGIOSPERM, consisting of an embryo surrounded by a food store for nourishment during germination, with an outer hard protective coat.

Cell Wall

The structure that covers and protects the plasma membrane in some kinds of cells, such as certain bacteria and all fungi and plant cells; composed of cellulose.

Phloem

The tissue of vascular plants that conducts food produced by photosynthesis to all parts of the plant and consists of sieve elements, fibers, and parenchyma.

Xylem

The tissue of vascular plants that conducts water and minerals, provides support, and consists of tracheary elements and parenchyma cells.

Pollen

the male fertilizing element of flowering plants; have a protective coat which prevents desiccation.