30 Questions
When did fossil records indicate the first appearance of flowering plants?
Lower Cretaceous
What do angiosperms produce that contain male and/or female reproductive structures?
Flowers
In which era did the massive appearance and diversification of angiosperms take place?
Mesozoic era
What played a key role in the ecology and evolution of flowering plants during the mid-Cretaceous?
Pollinating insects
What period saw a staggering number of diverse flowering plants in the fossil record?
Mid-Cretaceous
What is the role of paleobotanists?
Study ancient plants
What advantage do seeds provide to plants?
Protection, nourishment, and a mechanism to maintain dormancy
Why have seed plants become the most successful group of plants?
Their ability to disperse the next generation through space and time
What distinguishes seed ferns as the first true seed plants?
Producing seeds along branches without specialized structures
During which period did seed ferns, resembling modern tree ferns, become more numerous and diverse?
Carboniferous period
Which plant is considered the earliest seed plant known to date?
Elkinsia polymorpha
What evolutionary advantage do seed plants have over non-seed plants?
Dispersal of the next generation through space and time
What is the function of secondary cambium in gymnosperms?
Generate the vascular system of the trunk
Which gymnosperm phylum is considered the closest group to angiosperms?
Gnetophyta
What adaptation in conifers helps reduce water evaporation from leaves?
Having thick cuticles
Which of the following is NOT a familiar evergreen conifer tree?
Maple
In cold climates, which group of plants dominates due to adaptations to cold and dry weather?
Gymnosperms
What distinguishes deciduous conifers from typical conifers?
Losing leaves in fall
What is the term for a plant that carries both male and female reproductive organs on the same mature sporophyte?
Monoecious
Which term describes the production of male microspores and female megaspores in gymnosperms?
Heterosporous
What is pollination defined as in the life cycle of a gymnosperm?
Initiation of pollen tube growth
In gymnosperms, where are the male microspores produced?
Male cones (staminate cones)
What is the term for plants that have male and female reproductive organs on separate plants?
Dioecious
At fertilization in gymnosperms, which two cells unite?
Haploid sperm cell and haploid egg cell
When did the first gymnosperms most likely originate?
Middle Devonian period
Which group of gymnosperms includes the only surviving species Gingko biloba?
Gingkoales
During which era did gymnosperms expand, supplanting ferns in the landscape?
Mesozoic era
Which ecosystem is mentioned in the text where gymnosperms still dominate due to their adaptation to cold and dry growth conditions?
Taiga (boreal forests)
What characterized the Permian period, giving a reproductive edge to seed plants?
Dry conditions
Which group of gymnosperms dominated the Jurassic period along with dinosaurs?
Cycads
Test your knowledge on seed plants and their reproductive strategies like seed dispersal, embryo protection, and dormancy mechanisms. Explore how seeds enable plants to spread their genes through both space and time for successful germination. This quiz is based on Chapter 26 of the free content available at http://cnx.org/content/col11448/1.9.
Make Your Own Quizzes and Flashcards
Convert your notes into interactive study material.
Get started for free
