Chapter 5 Summary

• Land plants evolved from green algae and developed adaptations such as a waxy cuticle, stomata, roots, gametangia, and alternation of generations to survive and reproduce on land.
• Bryophytes (nonvascular plants) were the first land plants and depend on moist environments due to their lack of vascular tissue and reliance on water for reproduction.
• Seedless vascular plants like ferns evolved vascular tissues (xylem and phloem), lignin, and true roots, allowing greater height and habitat range, but still rely on water for fertilization.
• Gymnosperms introduced pollen and seeds, enabling reproduction without water and better protection for embryos, which helped them thrive in drier environments.
• Angiosperms evolved flowers and fruits, improving pollination and seed dispersal through animal interactions, making them the most diverse and widespread plant group.
• Fungi differ from plants by absorbing nutrients from their environment, decomposing organic matter, forming mutualistic relationships, and contributing to medicine, food production, and ecosystem health.

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OpenAI. (2025). ChatGPT. [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com/chat
Prompt: Summarize the following content into six key takeaways.

Anther
The part of a stamen that produces and contains pollen.

Antheridium
A structure that produces sperm in the gametophyte generation of plants like mosses and ferns.

Archegonium
A structure that produces eggs in the gametophyte generation of plants.

Bryophytes
Nonvascular plants including mosses, liverworts, and hornworts that lack vascular tissue and require moist environments.

Carbohydrates
Organic molecules made of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen that organisms use for energy.

Carpel
The female reproductive organ of a flower, including the stigma, style, and ovary. Also called a pistil.

Cellulose
A complex carbohydrate that forms the structural component of plant cell walls.

Chitin
A tough, flexible compound found in the cell walls of fungi and in the exoskeletons of arthropods.

Cuticle
A waxy, water-repellent layer on the surface of plant leaves and stems that helps prevent water loss.

Decomposers
Organisms that break down dead organic material and recycle nutrients into ecosystems.

Dry fruits
Fruits that are hard or papery when mature, such as nuts, wheat, or rice.

Embryo
The early developmental stage of a plant or animal that arises from a fertilized egg.

Embryo sac
The female gametophyte inside the ovule of a flowering plant.

Endosperm
A tissue in seeds of flowering plants that provides nourishment to the developing embryo, formed during double fertilization.

Fertilization
The fusion of sperm and egg to form a zygote.

Filament
The stalk of a stamen that supports the anther.

Flagellated
Having one or more whip-like tails (flagella) used for movement; describes the sperm of mosses and ferns.

Fleshy fruits
Fruits that are soft and juicy when mature, like peaches and berries.

Fruiting body
The reproductive structure of a fungus, such as a mushroom, that produces and releases spores.

Fungi
A kingdom of eukaryotic organisms that includes molds, yeasts, and mushrooms, which absorb nutrients from organic material.

Gametes
Reproductive cells (sperm and egg) that unite during fertilization.

Gametophyte
The haploid, gamete-producing stage in a plant’s life cycle.

Gills
Blade-like structures on the underside of a mushroom cap where spores are produced.

Glycogen
A carbohydrate that fungi and animals use to store energy.

Gymnosperms
Seed-producing plants like conifers whose seeds are not enclosed in fruits.

Heterotrophs
Organisms that cannot make their own food and rely on consuming other organisms for energy.

Hyphae
Long, thread-like filaments that make up the body of a fungus.

Lignin
A complex organic compound that hardens cell walls in vascular plants, giving them rigidity.

Melanin
A dark pigment that provides protection against UV radiation; found in both fungi and animals.

Mitotic (mitosis)
A process of cell division that results in two identical cells; used in growth and asexual reproduction.

Mycelium
The network of hyphae that forms the main body of a fungus.

Mycorrhizae
Symbiotic relationships between fungi and plant roots that improve nutrient and water uptake.

Nectar
A sugary fluid produced by flowers to attract pollinators.

Nonmotile
Incapable of movement; describes most fungi.

Nonvascular plants
Plants that lack vascular tissue (xylem and phloem), including mosses, liverworts, and hornworts.

Ovary
The part of the carpel that contains ovules and matures into a fruit after fertilization.

Ovule
The structure in seed plants that contains the female gametophyte and develops into a seed after fertilization.

Parasites
Organisms that live on or in a host organism and derive nutrients at the host’s expense.

Petals
Colorful parts of a flower that attract pollinators.

Phloem
Vascular tissue in plants that transports sugars from the leaves to the rest of the plant.

Photosynthesis
The process by which green plants use sunlight to produce food from carbon dioxide and water.

Pistil
Another name for the carpel, the female part of a flower.

Pollen
A structure that contains the male gametes (sperm) of seed plants.

Pollinators
Animals, such as bees or birds, that carry pollen from one flower to another.

Rhizoids
Root-like structures in nonvascular plants that anchor the plant but do not absorb water.

Roots
Organs in vascular plants that absorb water and nutrients from the soil and anchor the plant.

Saprophytic
Describes organisms, especially fungi, that feed on dead or decaying organic matter.

Seed
A structure in seed plants that contains a developing embryo and a food supply, enclosed in a protective coat.

Seedless vascular plants
Plants like ferns that have vascular tissue but reproduce via spores instead of seeds.

Sepals
The outer parts of a flower, usually green, that protect the flower bud before it opens.

Sporangium
A structure where spores are formed.

Sporophyte
The diploid, spore-producing stage in a plant’s life cycle.

Spores
Reproductive cells that can develop into a new organism without fertilization; used by fungi and seedless plants.

Stamens
The male reproductive parts of a flower, consisting of a filament and anther.

Stigma
The sticky top part of a carpel where pollen lands.

Style
A tube that connects the stigma to the ovary in a flower.

Syngamy
A term for fertilization, the fusion of gametes to form a zygote.

Vascular tissue
Specialized plant tissue (xylem and phloem) for conducting water, minerals, and nutrients.

Xylem
Vascular tissue that transports water from roots to leaves.

Zygote
The cell formed by the union of a sperm and egg; the first cell of a new organism.

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OpenAI. (2025). ChatGPT. [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com/chat
Prompt: Provide definitions for all the bolded terms in the shared content and list all the terms in alphabetical order.