Plant Diversity www.Crossword Weaver.com ACROSS DOWN 11 1 The female gametangium, or produces an egg. 4 Although conifers bear their seeds in cones, they are considered the “naked seed” because their seeds are not enclosed in a 6 Plants that shed their leaves at the end of a growth season are 13 A flower that lacks stamen is said to be 2 The fact that deep tubular flowers are pollinated by insects with long mouthparts, whereas short flowers are pollinated by insects with short mouthparts, is an example of 3 Cluster of sporangia termed are often found on fern fronds 5 Whisk ferns have vascularized stems but lack true and 7 The female gametophyte in flowering plants is also called the 8 Plants store their carbohydrate as 15 the type of leaf found in club mosses (Lxcophyta) is called a 16 The fusion of gametes is called 17 The openings in plants that allow gas exchange for photosynthesis are called 19 The nutritive tissue in the pine seed is the seed. 21 A is a leaf that evolved from a branch system 9 The waxy layer that covers aerial parts of plants is the 10 The leafy green plant in the life cycle of lower plants is the generation 11 Most confers are and have male and female reproductive parts at different locations on the same plant 12 The male gametangium, or produces spores 14 The nutritive tissue in flowering plant seeds which is formed as a result of double fertilization is called 22 The is composed of a stigma, style, and ovary 23 plants with blue petals, nectar, and a strong scent are most likely pollinated by __ 25 This class of flowering plants, the includes the palms, grasses, and orchids 26 The fusion of gametes results in a diploid fertilized cell, or 28 After fertilization, the develops into a seed. 31 The transfer of pollen from the male to the female reproductive structure is known as 33 plants have an of in which they spend part of their life cycle in the gametophyte and part in the sporophyte stage 34 Contain an embryo and food tissue and thus are better than spores for reproduction. 35 Plants probably evolved from ancient 18 The flattened leaf-like body form of many liverworts is called a 20 Certain lower vascular plants are and produced two kinds of spores. 24 Meiosis in plants results in the formation of 27 Plants with reduced or absent petals, no nectar, no scent, and copious amounts of pollen are most likely pollinated by 29 have hollow, jointed stems that are impregnated with silica 30 After fertilization, the develops into a fruit. 32 The immature male gametophyte of pine is called the 36 The bryophytes lack a therefore restricted in size. system and are I and II
The Correct Answer and Explanation is :
Here’s the crossword solution with a brief explanation for each answer, emphasizing their relevance to plant diversity:
Across:
- Archegonium – Female gametangium that produces eggs.
- Ovary – Conifers lack an ovary, leaving seeds “naked.”
- Deciduous – Plants shedding leaves at season’s end.
- Imperfect – Flowers lacking stamens or pistils.
- Microphyll – Small, single-veined leaves in club mosses.
- Fertilization – Fusion of gametes to form a zygote.
- Stomata – Openings for gas exchange in photosynthesis.
- Megagametophyte – Nutritive tissue in pine seeds.
- Megaphyll – Leaves evolved from branched systems.
- Monocots – Flowering plants including grasses and orchids.
- Zygote – Result of gamete fusion.
- Ovule – Develops into a seed after fertilization.
- Pollination – Transfer of pollen to a female structure.
- Alternation – Life cycle alternates between gametophyte and sporophyte.
- Seeds – Contain embryo and food, aiding reproduction.
- Algae – Ancestral organisms from which plants evolved.
Down:
- Coevolution – Evolutionary match of flowers and pollinators.
- Sori – Clusters of sporangia on ferns.
- Leaves – Whisk ferns lack true leaves and roots.
- Embryo sac – Female gametophyte in flowering plants.
- Starch – Stored carbohydrate in plants.
- Cuticle – Waxy layer preventing water loss.
- Gametophyte – Leafy green stage in lower plants.
- Monoecious – Both sexes on one conifer plant.
- Antheridium – Male gametangium producing sperm.
- Endosperm – Nutritive tissue from double fertilization.
- Thallus – Flattened body of liverworts.
- Heterosporous – Producing two spore types.
- Pistil – Stigma, style, and ovary structure.
- Bees – Pollinators for blue, nectar-filled flowers.
- Spores – Result of plant meiosis.
- Wind – Pollination without flowers or nectar.
- Horsetails – Jointed, silica-impregnated stems.
- Ovary – Develops into a fruit post-fertilization.
- Pollen grain – Immature male pine gametophyte.
- Vascular – Bryophytes lack vascular systems.
Explanation:
Plant diversity is a cornerstone of ecology, showcasing adaptations to various environments. The alternation of generations illustrates the evolutionary link between simpler algae and complex vascular plants. Gymnosperms like conifers highlight adaptations to terrestrial life, such as seeds, while angiosperms showcase flower evolution for efficient pollination. Structures like stomata and cuticles prevent desiccation, critical in land colonization. Moreover, coevolution with pollinators underscores plants’ ecological roles. Bryophytes, liverworts, and ferns emphasize the transition from water-dependence to greater terrestrial independence, representing pivotal stages in plant evolution. This crossword integrates these concepts, summarizing the remarkable diversity of plant forms and functions.