Vascular plants

Vascular plants, also known as Tracheophytes, are a large group of plants that are defined by the presence of vascular tissue, which allows for the efficient transportation of water, nutrients, and sugars. This group includes the majority of plant species on Earth, including all trees, flowers, and ferns.

Characteristics

Vascular plants are characterized by the presence of vascular tissue, which includes xylem and phloem. Xylem transports water and minerals from the roots to the rest of the plant, while phloem transports sugars and other nutrients from the leaves to the rest of the plant. This vascular system allows vascular plants to grow larger and live in a wider range of environments than non-vascular plants.

Classification

Vascular plants are divided into two main groups: the seed plants, which produce seeds, and the spore plants, which produce spores. Seed plants include gymnosperms, such as conifers, and angiosperms, or flowering plants. Spore plants include ferns and lycophytes.

Evolution

The first vascular plants appeared during the Silurian period, over 400 million years ago. These early plants, such as Cooksonia, were small and simple, but they paved the way for the evolution of more complex plants. The development of vascular tissue was a key innovation that allowed plants to colonize land.

Importance

Vascular plants play a crucial role in many ecosystems. They are the primary producers in most land ecosystems, converting sunlight into energy through photosynthesis and providing food for a wide range of animals. They also play a key role in the carbon cycle, absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and storing it in their tissues.

See also

• Non-vascular plants
• Plant evolution
• Plant morphology

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