Plant Bio Quiz 1 Flashcards
(203 cards)
Plants, like most animals, are what?
multicellular eukaryotes
Fungi & animals are what?
sister groups
Are fungi and plants close in lineage?
No
What is the common ancestor of land plants?
green algae
What is the evolutionary order of plants?
(1) land plants - (2) vascular plants - (3) seed plants - (4) flowering plants
What is the size of the largest flower?
1m
What is the age of the longest living plant?
5000 years
How big is the largest organism?
> 100m
Plants produce what?
oxygen, sugars (chemically stored energy), and useful chemicals
Joseph Priestly 1770s experiment/discovery?
animals need oxygen to live. An animal kept in a sealed container would eventually pass out; “injured” air
He also recognized that plants have the ability to “restore” the air.
Plants convert what into sugars through the process of photosynthesis?
CO2
Why do plants produce an assortment of chemicals?
protection/defense
Why study plants?
- help conserve endangered plants & environments
- learn more about the natural world
- better harness the abilities of plants to provide us with food, medicines, and energy
Robert Hooke (1965) first discovered cells in what?
plants
What did Robert Hooke call plant cells?
cork cells
Plants first purified what?
viruses
What was discovered in plants (related to viruses)?
Transposable elements
Mendel’s studies of peas revealed what?
laws of inheritance
What is the major objective of plant science?
increase food production
Globally, how many people per year are chronically hungry?
1 billion
How can plant scientists contribute to the alleviation of hunger?
By developing plants that
- are drought or stress tolerant
- require less fertilizer or water
- are resistant to pathogens
- are more nutritious
Plants provide us with more than food. What are some examples of other provisions?
- plants are sources of novel therapeutic drugs
- plants provide better fibers for paper or fabric
- plants are sources of biorenewable products
- plants provide renewable energy sources
What is Willow’s (Salix) medical contribution?
bark as a source of aspirin
What is foxglove’s (Digitalis purpurea) medical contribution?
source of digitalis (treatment for cardiac problems)