Biology 104: Plant Exam questions with
correct answers
What are the characteristics of a plant? -Correct Answer-A multicellular, eukaryotic, autotrophic
organism with a cell wall (cellulose), performs photosynthesis, store starch, non mobile, alternation of
generations, reproductive protection tissue
From what organism did plants evolve? -Correct Answer-Charophytes (green algae)
What are the adaptations of plants to life on land? -Correct Answer-the need for a constant supply of
water (roots), the need for as much energy (leaves for surface area), need gas exchange w/o losing water
(cuticle prevents desiccation and stoma controls gas movement), photosynthetic tissue exposure
(stems), water and nutrient transport (xylem and phloem), repro without water (seeds)
Know the alternation of generation life cycle? -Correct Answer-know!
Which stages/structures are haploid and diploid? -Correct Answer-haploid (gametophyte , gametes,
spores), diploid (sporophyte, zygote)
Generation dominant in nonvascular? Vascular seedless? Vascular seeded? -Correct Answer-Nonvascular
(gametophyte), an vascular (sporophyte)
Know the effect of evolution on the sporophyte & gametophyte generation as plants evolved from
nonvascular, vascular nonseeded, vascular naked seeds, vascular covered seeds? -Correct Answer-a
larger sporophyte generation and a smaller gametophyte generation
vascular plants (tracheophytes) -Correct Answer-contain xylem and phloem that are bundled together to
transport water and nutrients, in sporophyte, lignin, roots, leaves, stems, larger and often dry land
Vascular -Correct Answer-ferns, club mosses, horsetails, whiskferns, gingkoe, conifers, cycads,
gnetophytes, flowering plants
Nonvascular plants (bryophytes) -Correct Answer-Do not have vascular tissues to conduct water and
provide support, small, moist environment, archegonia and antheridia, gametophyte is dominant
, nonvascular -Correct Answer-mosses, liverworts, hornworts
What were the first plants to adapt to land? -Correct Answer-
What is the largest phyla of nonvascular plants? Vascular seedless? Gymnosperms? -Correct Answer-
Mosses;Ferns; Conifers
Know the events in the life cycle of a moss? -Correct Answer-
whisk ferns -Correct Answer-branching steams without roots. Leaves reduced to small appendages or
absent. Absence of roots/leaves is considered secondary loss; lost as whisk ferns diverged from
ancestors.
club mosses -Correct Answer-the earliest group of seedless vascular plants
Horsetails -Correct Answer-include extinct woody trees; hollow, ribbed stems that are jointed at nodes;
strobili bear spores. Stems, branches, and leaves are green (photosynthetic) and have rough texture due
to silica
Ferns -Correct Answer-Any of numerous flowerless, seedless vascular plants having roots, stems, and
fronds and reproducing by spores.
Know the life cycle of fern. -Correct Answer-
What does the word "gymnosperm" mean? -Correct Answer-naked seed
Cycads -Correct Answer-Gymnosperms that grow in tropical or subtropical areas; look like palm trees
with cones, dioecious
gingkoes -Correct Answer-have fan-shaped leaves and round green fruit (ex. maidenhair tree), dioecious
