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Living on Planet Earth
THE PLANT KINGDOM
PLANTS GROW
THE ANATOMY OF PLANTS
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Vascular vs. Non-Vascular Plants
True plants rely on soil and
carbon dioxide to make
their own food. There are
two major types of true
plants. Vascular plants have
special cells that move
water throughout the plant.
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Vascular vs. Non-Vascular Plants
Non-vascular plants absorb water. They pass
moisture from cell to cell up through the stalk to
the leaves, where photosynthesis takes place.
moss
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Vascular Plants
Vascular plants have roots,
stems and leaves that act like
a plumbing system that
delivers water and nutrients
to all parts of the plant.
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Vascular Plants
The xylem cells absorb water brought in from the roots
and carry it up through the stem and out to the leaves
where photosynthesis creates glucose, the plant’s food.
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Vascular Plants
The phloem cells carry the sugary
water back toward the roots,
nurturing the plant as it travels.
You are probably most familiar
with vascular plants such as trees,
vines, flowers and crops.
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Non-Vascular Plants
Very simple plants like mosses, liverworts and hornworts
are some of the first plants that were able to live on land.
They live in areas such as swamps and bogs, and on the
shaded sides of trees where they absorb moisture from
water or humid air.
hornwort
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Non-Vascular Plants
They cannot hold water in
or deliver it to other parts
of the plant body because
they do not have true
roots, stems, or leaves.
Like a sponge, the water
passes from cell to cell
moving through the stalk
to the leaves, which carry
on photosynthesis.
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Non-Vascular Plants
Because these non-vascular plants don’t use a lot of
energy to develop strong stems and protective bark,
they release a lot of oxygen into the surrounding
water and air.
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True Plants
Plants are more
complex than are
algae. Algae contain
and use chlorophyll
in photosynthesis
but they live only in
water, and they
produce their own
food with carbon
dioxide, water and
sunlight alone.
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True Plants
True plants need soil to support
their growth as well as the
photosynthesizing components:
carbon dioxide, water and sunlight.
The soil provides minerals and
decomposed organic material
necessary for their good health.
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True Plants
The carbon dioxide,
absorbed by the plants
tiny breathing pores,
stomata, is used to
make glucose during
the process of
photosynthesis.
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True Plants
Plants beautify much of the land
on Earth and provide food and
shelter for millions of animal
species.
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THE PLANT KINGDOM
Living on Planet Earth
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