acrocarpous used to describe an erect habit in mosses
alternation of generations term referring to a life cycle in which there is more than one free-living stage, typically a spore-producing sporophyte and a gamete-producing gametophyte
anisogametes motile gametes which differ slightly in size
autotrophic nutrition synthesis of organic food molecules from inorganic compounds such as carbon dioxide
asexual reproduction production of new individuals from cells of a single parent
benthic attached to the substratum and submerged
bisexual having both male and female sex organs
circinnate vernation the coiled arrangement of young leaves of ferns & cycads
clade a monophyletic lineage of organisms sharing a common ancestor
coenobium (pl. coenobia) a colony of a fixed number of cells
coenocytic multinucleate, formed by nuclear divion without cross wall formation
cryptogam an old term for a non-seed plant; cryptogam means hidden wedding, i.e. as they produced no seeds their sex lives were unknown for a long time
diatoms unicellular, photosynthetic microalgae with walls of silica
dinoflagellates unicellular algae usually with two flagella and with armoured plates. They may be autotrophic or heterotrophic or a mix of these.
dioecious used to describe plant species in which male and female sex organs are borne on separate individuals
diploid having two sets of chromosomes
embryophyte a plant which retains the fertilised egg or zygote within the female sex organ where it develops with protection into an embryo
endospory a condition in which the gametophyte develops within the spore wall, rather than externally
endosymbiosis a mutually beneficial relationship where one organism lives inside another
epiphyte a plant that grows on another plant. No parasitism is involved. The epiphyte must be rooted on the surface of the host. Vines rooted in the soil and climbing up on another plant are not epiphytes.
eukaryote organism the cells of which have a defined nucleus and internal membranes
flagellum/a whip-like extension of the cytoplasm for propelling the cell
floridean starch an algal reserve resembling glycogen or amylopectin
free nuclear division mitotic division of nuclei without accompanying cytokinesis, i.e. nuclei divide in a common cytoplasm, the cells walls only forming around each later
gametes reproductive cells that fuse to form a zygote
gametophyte gamete-producing plant in the life cycle
haploid having one set of chromosomes
heterospory a condition in which an organism produces two different types and sizes of spores, viz. microspores and megaspores
heterotrichous (filament) a growth pattern of algae with prostrate filaments for attachment and erect, spreading filaments for photosynthesis
heterotrophic nutrition a mode of nutrition where the organism relies on other organisms for food
holdfast algal organ for attachment
homospory a condition in which an organism produces only one type and size of spore, viz. microspores
hygroscopic movement movement by the gain or loss of water
irregular symmetry irregular flowers are bilaterally symmetrical; they are divisible into equal halves about 1 plane only
laminarin a ß1,3 glucan reserve
meristem a region of actively dividing cells
monoecious used to describe a species in which a single plant carries both male and female sex organs
multicellular composed of more than one cell
multiflagellate having many flagella
oogamy reproduction in which the female gamete is large and non-motile and the male gamete small and motile
paramylon a ß1,3 glucan reserve
perianth a collective term for the sepals and petals of the flower, especially when these are indistinguisable
Phanerogam a seed plant – gymnosperm or angiosperm.The term literally means “open wedding” and refers to the fact that reproduction in these plants was clearly understood unlike the case in lower plants (Cryptogams) in which it was for a long time something of a mystery
phycobilin – class of pigment found only in algae, comprising red phycoerythrin and blue-green phycocyanin
planktonic – free-floating
pleurocarpous – prostrate (used for mosses)
prokaryote simple organism without a defined nucleus or internal membranes
protonema (pl. protonemata) the filamentous (moss) or thallose (fern) gametophyte stage of non-seed plants
protoplast cell contents within the cell wall, viz. the vacuole and surrounding cytoplasm
pyrenoid proteinaceous region of chloroplast, sometimes the site of accumulation of carbohydrate reserve
regular symmetry regular flowers have radial symmetry; they are divisible into equal halves in 2 or more planes
rhizoid hair-like, filamentous anchorage/absorbing organ
ribosome organelle responsible for protein synthesis
seed fern extinct seed-bearing plants with fern-like leaves
sorus (pl. sori) cluster of sporangia of a fern
sporophyll a spore-bearing leaf
sporophyte spore-producing stage of the plant
stele vascular tissue (the xylem and phloem together)
superior ovary is exposed in the flower – above the point of attachment of the perianth and anthers
strobilus a cone-shaped cluster of spore-bearing leaves
syngamy fusion of gametes in sexual reproduction
thallus term given to the body of a lower plant which has no recognisable shoot, root, leaf regions
thallophyte an organism not differentiated into shoot and root, the cells of which have a cell wall; originally used for bacteria, fungi and algae
unicell(ular) composed of a single cell
unisexual having either male or female sex organs but not both
zoospores motile spores
zygote cell resulting from the fusion of two gametes