#plants #flowering #non-flowering #ngscience
The plant kingdom is vast and diverse, consisting of myriad species that cover the Earth from the deepest valleys to the highest peaks. Broadly, plants can be classified into two main groups: flowering plants, also known as angiosperms, and non-flowering plants. The non-flowering group includes various types such as mosses, ferns, and conifers.
Non-flowering plants, typically more ancient types of plants, evolved before their flowering counterparts. Some, like mosses and ferns, do not produce flowers or seeds, but instead reproduce through spores. Mosses, small and herbaceous, grow in damp and shady locations. They lack true roots, stems, or leaves, and their reproduction is achieved through the dispersal of spores that develop in a capsule.
Ferns, slightly more complex than mosses, inhabit a wide variety of environments. They possess true roots, stems, and leaves and, like mosses, reproduce through spores usually found on the underside of their leaves. Ferns often have broad leaves known as fronds, which provide a large surface area for photosynthesis in low light environments such as the floor of a rainforest.
Different from mosses and ferns, conifers represent gymnosperms, a group of non-flowering plants that reproduce through seeds. Unlike flowering plants, conifers do not produce seeds inside a fruit. Instead, they produce seeds in cones, with the typical 'pinecone' being an example of a female cone of a pine tree.
Flowering plants, or angiosperms, are the most diverse and widespread group of plants on Earth. They produce flowers and seeds enclosed within a fruit and are found in nearly all environments, taking many forms such as trees, shrubs, grasses, and herbs.
Many trees are flowering plants, such as apple trees, cherry trees, and oak trees. They produce flowers that, once fertilized, develop into fruits containing seeds. Vegetables and fruits, like tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers, also come from flowering plants, as do other plant parts of flowering species, such as lettuce and carrots.
Grasses are a significant group within the flowering plants. They include many familiar species like wheat, corn, and rice. They often have small inconspicuous flowers.
From the simple mosses and ferns to the towering conifers, and from the smallest grasses to a variety of fruits, vegetables and trees, plants play an essential role in our ecosystem and our lives. Understanding them is not just about knowing their forms and life cycles, but also appreciating the diversity of life on Earth.