Scientific Classification and Nomenclature Flashcards

Plant Variety Protection Act

• Allows breeders to recoup research costs through exclusive marketing rights.
• Requires that plant varieties be uniform, stable, and distinct.
• Grants exclusive marketing rights for new plant cultivars within the U.S.

Exclusions of the Plant Variety Protection Act

• Does not permit patenting of asexually reproduced cultivars.

Ecosystem Roles

• Plants primarily act as producers within ecosystems.

Decomposers

• Organisms that primarily consume dead organisms or organic waste.

Weed Characteristics

• Rapid population establishment.
• High seed production rates with seed dormancy.
• Adaptations that enhance seed dispersal.

Non-Characteristics of Weeds

• Weeds do not depend on humans for propagation.

Advantages of Weeds

• Provide habitat and food sources for wildlife.
• Contribute to soil stabilization.
• Enhance the organic matter content of soil.

Non-Advantages of Weeds

• Weeds do not increase crop yields.

Benefits of Native Plants

• Require low maintenance due to adaptation to their ecosystems.
• Do not typically need additional fertilizers or pesticides.
• Offer food and habitat support for wildlife.

Invasive Plants

• Non-native species that adapt quickly to new environments without prior evolution in that area.

Monocot Characteristics

• Flower parts are organized in multiples of three.
• Have an embryo with a single cotyledon.
• Pollen structure features a single furrow or pore.

Dicot Characteristics

• Major leaf veins exhibit a reticulated pattern.

Vascular and Non-Vascular Plants

• Vascular plants include gymnosperms.
• Non-vascular plants are referred to as bryophytes.

Classification Criteria

• Plants are classified based on leaves, flowers, and seeds.

Leaf Structures

• Leaf venation refers to the arrangement of leaf veins.
• Leaf margin describes the edges of leaves.

Biennial Plants

• May complete their life cycle in one year due to variations in temperature, climatic changes, or drought conditions.

Cladistics

• Classification method based on evolutionary branching patterns.

Taxonomy in Classification

• The kingdom is the most general taxonomic category.

Kingdom Monera

• Divides into two categories: archaebacteria and eubacteria.

Plantae Characteristics

• Organisms in the plantae kingdom are multicellular and generally non-motile.

Species Definition

• Groups of plants that reliably produce individuals of the same type.

Botanical Nomenclature

• Utilizes a binomial naming system, identifying plants by genus and species, always presented in italics or underlined.

Organisms Containing Multicellularity

• Multicellular organisms are classified under the kingdoms Plantae, Fungi, and Animalia.

Organ Systems

• Comprises root and shoot systems, facilitating responses to environmental changes and processing large material volumes.

Plant Organs

• Stems, leaves, and roots are recognized as plant organs, whereas flowers are not categorized as such.

Plant Cell Types

• Parenchyma cells retain totipotency, while collenchyma cells are characterized by unevenly thickened primary cell walls.

Plant Functions

• Regulate the water cycle, serve medicinal purposes, and provide food, air, and habitat.

Weeds Description

• Weeds are plants that grow out of place, often competitive and can serve as hosts for crop diseases.

Vascular Plants

• Represent approximately 80% of all plant species.

Bryophytes

• Another designation for non-vascular plants.