Vascular plants

Definition

Vascular plants are plants that have specialized tissues, known as xylem and phloem, for transporting water, nutrients, and food throughout the plant. These tissues enable them to grow taller and larger than non-vascular plants.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Vascular plants include ferns, conifers, and flowering plants.
2. Xylem transports water and minerals from the roots to the rest of the plant.
3. Phloem distributes sugars produced during photosynthesis from leaves to other parts of the plant.
4. The presence of vascular tissue allows these plants to inhabit a wider range of environments compared to non-vascular plants.
5. Vascular plants are divided into two major groups: seedless (e.g., ferns) and seed-producing (e.g., gymnosperms and angiosperms).

Review Questions

• What are the two main types of vascular tissues in vascular plants?
• How do xylem and phloem differ in their functions?
• Name two examples each of seedless vascular plants and seed-producing vascular plants.

Related terms

Non-Vascular Plants: Plants that lack specialized tissues for transporting water, nutrients, and food; examples include mosses and liverworts.

Gymnosperms: A group of seed-producing vascular plants that includes conifers like pine trees.

Angiosperms: Flowering vascular plants that produce seeds enclosed within a fruit.