Classifying Plants - LEARNING RESOURCE CENTER

5Module 25Science and HealthCLASSIFYING PLANTS1 the Australian Agency for International DevelopmentA DepEd-BEAM Distance Learning Program supported by

To the LearnerDear Learner,Hi Kids! Let’s welcome our day with a smile. A day that is full oflife like the plants around us. Today, you are going to learn how toclassify them according to their common characteristics.Let’s Learn ThisScientists of plants (Botanist) have designed ways of classifyingplants to have a better way of studying and an easy way of makingsubstitutes for plants.The criteria of classifying plants are their characteristics that setthem apart from others. Some to the criteria used to classify plantswith major groups are:1. presence or absence of plant parts such as roots, stem, leaves,flowers and seeds;2. the kind of materials that make up the plants;3. place where plants live;4. presence of some kind of special structures; and5. uses of plants.58

Let’s Try ThisA. Group the following plants.Flowering and Non- floweringmangoconiferspine treecoconutFloweringcypresstamarindNon- floweringB. AERIAL, TERRESTRIAL, and AQUATICAerialair,Terrestrialland, nish mossAerialTerrestrial59Aquaticwater

Let’s Study ThisLike the animal kingdom, the plant kingdom is divided intosmaller groups.A. Bryophytes (simple plants)One criteria of classifying plants is the presence or absencetrue roots, and leaves. Bryophytes or simple plants do nothave true roots, stems and leaves.Bryophytes have hairy root like growths called rhizoids thatanchor the plants to the soil and absorb water and minerals.They lack the tissue that carries water and food throughout theplant.Bryophytes are a group made up of liverworts and mosses.Mosses grow in such moist, watery, and shady places as forestbut there are some that thrive in dry places too.1. Mosses tend to grow in bunches, and they often form densemats that cover large areas. They usually grow in damp andmoist places. Most mosses turn dull brown and appear deadduring dry times but they turn green again when rain falls.Mosses are very important to our environment, animals,and people. They help present soil erosion and flooding.They also store minerals and other nutrients. Other plantsthen use these nutrients to grow.2. Liverworts are moss like plants. You willfind these plants along the banks ofstreams. They are called liverwortsbecause their leaves are like tiny livers.60

3. Tracheophytes (the highest plants)Higher plants of the plant kingdom are calledtracheophytes. They have tree roots, leaves and stems.Some of them do not grow very tall, but they grow tallerthan the bryophytes.Tracheophytes means tube plant’s roots to the stems and totheir leaves. Ferns and seed plants belong to this group.1. Fern plants - have roots, stems and leaves. Water and foodcan travel to all parts of theseplants. Because of this, ferns growmuch taller than mosses. Theirleaves are popularly known asfronds. On the underside of eachfronds, dark cases called sori arefound. Sori contains many tinyspores which are used inreproduction. It reproduces in aprocess called alteration of generations. It consist of twostages: sexual and asexual reproduction.Ferns grow in warm, moist places. Some ferns grow inshady places, in the yards and gardens.2. Seed plants – are the most advanced of all plant groups.They produce or make seeds. They also haveProtective coverings over their stems.Most of the plants that we known are seed plants. It isvery large groups of plants. Scientists have divided the seedplants into smaller groups: flowering and non- floweringplants1. Non- flowering plants were the first seedplant group which arenot contained in afruit but are held incones. For this reason,they are called conifersor cone- bearing plants.61

They produce seeds without flowers and are also calledgymnosperms.These plants are evergreens because they staygreen and keep their leaves even during cold season.The leaves of the conifers are usually needle- like andscale- like. During summer, the old needles fall to theground and new ones take their place. Some examplesof evergreens are the pine and the cypress.2. Flowering plants have trueroots, stems and seeds. Theirseeds (except a few) are insidethe fruits. Fruit trees, bushes,and vegetables belong to thisgroup.Flowering plants are angiosperms. They developflowers that produce stamen (male reproductiveorgans). After fertilization, the flower develops into afruit with seed.Lima beansKidney beans62

Let’s Do ThisA. Write B if the plant is Bryophytes and T if it is Tracheophytes.1.Fern2.Palm tree3.Liverwort63

4.Peat moss5.Pine treeB. Match column A with column B. Write the letter of the correctanswer on the space provided for.AB1. Non flowering plants thathave seeds in their conesa. Bryophytes2. Plants that have protectivecoverings on stems andproduce seedsb. Mosses3. Plants commonly found onwater bank and are shapedlike smaller livers.c. Tracheophytes4. Simple plants that do not havetrue roots, stem and leavesd. Conifers64

5. Plants that grow in bunchesand form densee. Liverworts6. Higher form of plants whichhave true roots, stem andleaves.f. Rhizoids7. Plants with true roots, leavesand stem can develop flowersg. Alteration ofGeneration8. The process of reproductionof ferns.h. Spores9. Hairy root-like structures ofSome form of plants.i. Angiosperms10. The special cells used in thereproduction of ferns.j. Seed plantLet’s Do MoreA. Complete the illustration below on the classification of plants.Choose your answer from the box.Plant KingdomPlants can beclassified into65

Flowering PlantsMoss PlantsSeed PlantsTracheophytesBryophytesLiverwortsCone- bearing PlantsFern PlantsB. Underline the correct example of a given group of plants.1. Seed plant(fern, moss, cypress, mango)2. Bryophyte(pine tree, tamarind, liverwort, narra)3. Cone-bearing plant (cypress, fern, coconut, moss)4. Flowering Plant(liverwort, gumamela, fern, pine tree)5. Tracheophyte(moss, liverwort, fern, hornwort)Let’s Remember ThisPlants are generally classified according to theabsence or presence of plant parts such as the flowers,seeds, fruits, leaves, or stem. They are grouped accordingto the similarities or differences of the plant parts. Plants are classified into bryophytes (simple plants)and tracheophytes (higher plants) based on thepresence or absence of true plants parts. Bryophytes consist of simple plants: mosses andliverworts. They lack vascular tissues, true roots,stems and leaves. Tracheophytes are classified into: Fern plants andseed plants. They have true roots, long stems andleaves. Seed plants are classified into: Flowering and Nonflowering plants. They both produce seeds forreproduction.66

Let’s Test OurselvesChoose the letter of the correct answer.1. Which of the following plants bear flowers?a. fernb. mossc. cypressd. acacia2. Which plant does not belong to the group?a. cornb. mangoc. fernd. banana3. Why is it important to classify plants?a.b.c.d.totototopreserve their species.provide work for scientists.trace the origin of the plants.show their similarities and difference.4. How are pine tree, cypress and agoho plant similar?a.b.c.d.TheyTheyTheyTheylive in water.are cone-bearing plants.do not have true leaves.grow in shady and moist places.5. Here are two groups of plantsMangoCornAgohoIPine treeII67

RiceWith what group will you put rice? Why?a.b.c.d.I, because it has chlorophyll.I, because it develops flowers that make seeds.II, because it has cones that produce seeds.II, because it has true roots, stems and needle like leavesScience Fact FileMost gymnosperm are trees. Sequoia is a conifer having age ofmore than 4, 000 years.Gingko tree in China is an unusual relative of the conifers. Gingkois the only existing living member of an order of gymnospermscommon at one time; hence it is called a “living fossil”. Only one specieexist today, Gingko biloba. The Gingko trees are cultivated in theUnited States as ornamental plants.68

Answer KeyLet’s try aspanish messNon- Floweringpine t’s Do ThisA.1.2.3.4.5.TTBBTB.1. d2. j3. e4. a5. b6. c7. i8. g9. f10. h69AquaticlotusWaterlilly

Let’s Do MoreA.Plants can beclassified intoTracheophytes ortube plantsBryophytes or simpleplantsmoss plantsFern PlantsliverwortsConebearingPlantsB.1. mango2. liverwort3. cypress4. gumamela5. FernLet’s Test Ourselves1.2.3.4.5.dcdbb70Seed plantsFloweringPlants

Flowering Plants Tracheophytes Cone- bearing Plants Moss Plants Bryophytes Fern Plants Seed Plants Liverworts Plants are generally classified according to the absence or presence of plant parts such as the flowers, seeds, fruits, leaves, or stem. They are grouped according