Download Plant Subclassification

Plant Subclassification
Plants probably evolved from charophycean algae, sharing rosette cellulose-making complexes that make cell walls,
peroxisomes that limit photorespiration food loss, flagellated sperm cells, and cell division details; Plant derived features
include apical meristem, alternation of generations, protected embryos, sporopollenin spore and pollen walls, and gametangia
which make gametes.
Division
Class
Groups
sphagnum, Polytrichium (small, to
2", erect plants)
Mosses
Bryophytes (no
vascular tissue)
Liverworts
(all bryophytes
lack true roots,
stems, leaves,
lignin)
Tracheophytes
(seedless
vascular plants)
Pterophyta
(seedless
vascular plants)
Tracheophytes
(seed plants)
sporophyte
dominant and
gametophyte
reduced to a few
cells
Gymnosperms
(naked-seed
plants)
club mosses, spike mosses,
quillworts, Isoetes
short plants on the forest floor
with short needle-like leaves;
produce strobili which release
spores that grow gametophytes
whisk ferns (Psilotum)
small branching stems with
tiny/no leaves and no true roots
horsetails (Equisetum)
short needle-like leaves on rigid
stems to 1 meter high
ferns
the familiar fern; flat leaves that
grow from underground stems
(rhizomes) in most species to
one meter high
Cycadophyta
cycads
thick palm-like pinnate leaves
that grow from a thick stem
Ginkgophyta
Ginkgo
flat leaves on large upright
stems; grows as a tree in many
yards
Gnetophyta
Welwitschia (desert plant with long
strap-like leaves); Gnetum (tropical
shrubs, lianas, and small trees);
Ephedra (small plant that grows as
stems only)
have vessels similar to
angiosperms but molecular data
indicates close gymnosperm
relationship
(sporophyte is
dominant
gametophyte is
temporary)
(sporophyte is
dominant
gametophyte is
temporary)
Amborella
sporophyte
dominant and
gametophyte
reduced to a few
cells
Marchantia (plant consists of flat leafgametophyte is dominant; have
like structures that grow on the
small umbrella-like sporophytes
ground)
gametophyte is dominant; have
spike-like sporophytes
Coniferophyta
Tracheophytes
(seed plants)
features
gametophyte is dominant,
sporophyte consists of small
brown stalks and caps only
Anthoceros (plant consists of flat
leaf-like structures that grow on the
ground)
Hornworts
Lycophyta
Examples
mostly needle leaves coated in
wax; some grow to giant size
and extreme age; many are used
as wood for lumber
Amborella trichopoda; small
are the oldest lineage of
shrubs/trees that grow only in New
angiosperms and lack vessels
Caledonia
(special xylem cells)
Sequoia, Redwood, Pine, Spruce,
Cedar, Yew, Fir, Hemlock, Juniper,
Cypress, etc. (evergreens)
Magnoliids
Magnolias; small trees that produce
large and showy flowers
flower structure indicates they
are an old lineage of
angiosperms
Monocots
iris, grasses, orchids, lilies, palms,
(very few trees); about 25% of all
angiosperms
flower parts in 3's, parallelveined leaves; single cotyledon
embryos, fibrous root systems,
and scattered stem vascular
bundles
Eudicots
most broad-leaf trees (that are not
coniferous or ginkgo); most
broadleaf shrubs and herbs; about
67% of all angiosperm species
branch veined leaves; flower
parts in 4's or 5's; double
cotyledon embryos, fibrous or
tap root systems; vascular
bundles in rings
Angiosperms
(flowering
plants)