The plant world represents an extensive factor made up of trees, plants and a great variety of species that are responsible for populating the entire planet earth, they can be considered as very important beings that provide a great balance between the lives of living beings, for this reason let us now know the Kingdom Plantae, which corresponds to the group in which the photosynthetic plants are found.
Kingdom Plantae
The planet earth is made up of a large number of natural resources that give it beauty, abundance and above all wealth, which is why man has fervently studied its properties to get to know them and classify them according to their characteristics, in this way you can understand the entire world system, bestowing a set of kingdoms according to the abundance of the elements.
In this case, the plantae kingdom stands out, better known as the plant kingdom, its word comes from the Latin meaning plants. It is considered as one of the main groups composed of the largest living beings that make up the planet earth. It is found in conjunction with other groups known as the Animal Kingdom made up of all the animals on the planet, the Fungi Kingdom made up of fungi, the Protist Kingdom made up of eukaryotic organisms, and the Monera Kingdom made up of prokaryotic organisms.
Observing the composition of all the kingdoms, the interaction of all in the plant world stands out, which is why the plantae kingdom is considered the majority and the oldest of all. According to studies, there is no single criterion of how to consider a plant and what not to consider, presenting difficulties and specific characteristics to belong to the other kingdoms and be excluded from the kingdom plantae, but most of the plant species make it up.
In general terms, it is considered that all those species of plant life such as trees, shrubs, herbs and others, are those that make up this group; Likewise, aquatic algae are included, which become participants in the photosynthesis process and provide oxygen to the environment.
The members of the plantae kingdom are those that come from those formerly known as Primoplantae or the Archaeplastida, considering themselves as the first eukaryotes that were capable of photosynthesis where their permanence on earth was during the times of the primitive earth, approximately during the time Proterozoic about 1200 billion years ago.
Therefore, the Plantae kingdom is made up of the entire plant kingdom, encompassing the other four kingdoms Animalia, Fungi, Monera and Protista; being made up of all those multicellular organisms that are capable of carrying out the process of photosynthesis, being composed mostly of terrestrial plants but also some aquatic ones such as a certain percentage of algae, for which it is presumed that there are approximately 390 thousand species, making it the second largest kingdom according to established classification.
The plants that are distributed throughout the planet earth specifically in the area known as Ordovician, considering that it was a place with a long evolutionary history of plants approximately one billion years ago, for which a great variety of morphologies have been observed. that over time they were adapting to the changes that the plant was subjected to allowing the development of life.
Characteristics of the Kingdom Plantae
To belong to the plantae kingdom it is necessary to meet a set of characteristics, where not all species come to meet all the necessary conditions to be considered part of this group, where most are beings like plants, highlighting an important evolutionary lineage of the various species present, among the main characteristics that they must possess to be part of the Plantae kingdom are highlighted below:
- They are multicellular organisms (composed of several cells) and eukaryotes (cells that have nuclei)
- The species come to live near the substrate, in addition to developing defense mechanisms for their survival and reproduction, such as toxic substances including flowers and fruits.
- They include organisms that are photosynthetic capable of generating oxygen, sugars and causing the conversion of carbon dioxide, in addition to synthesizing nutrients for the atmosphere.
- Plants have evolved to get nourishment apart from photosynthesis, coming to present parasitic-type species capable of feeding on other plants.
- They are organisms that have a cell wall, which is quite rigid and has plasma membranes, which gives it very hard and resistant properties like trees.
- They present chloroplasts known as the chlorophyll deposit, this causes the green color, in addition to having photosynthesis within their system, encompassing all plants.
- Plant cells have organelles known as chloroplasts, being involved in carrying out the photosynthetic process.
- Those plants that have the ability to produce oxygen stand out, also allowing the regulation of carbon dioxide found throughout the atmosphere.
- They also represent an essential link in the food chain, a nutrient transfer system between the various species. In this case, plants are present in all ecosystems. Allowing an ecological activity in cycles that complements the physical-chemical balance of the planet.
- They have sexual reproduction (presence of two individuals of different sexes) and asexual reproduction (one individual with the reproductive organs of both sexes), presenting multicellular embryos.
- They have a life cycle that has been altered in several generations, known as the haploid gametophyte generation and the diploid sporophyte.
- Plants can reach a very high level of adaptation, regardless of the environmental condition and the ecosystem that is present, in addition to being able to survive high temperatures and even survive high aridity such as in deserts and the cold at the poles. .
- They come to lack mobility, most remain static in one place, even aquatic plants becoming immobile. They get to move due to the effects of external elements such as water and wind, in addition to depending on the type of body, they can actively seek the sun, but without being able to move from one habitat to another and without being able to flee from the animals that they feed on them.
- Their bodies are composed of cellulose, considered as a colorless, water-insoluble and amorphous biopolymer, it is considered to be the main component of all plants and some other bodies that belong to the other kingdoms.
Classification of Kingdom Plantae
Plants are considered the majority component of the entire planet, they generate a vegetal layer that covers the surface of all ecosystems. Due to its great quantity and variety, it is given a significant classification to distribute all the species present in the Plantae kingdom, which stand out in two main groups: flowering plants and non-flowering plants:
plants without flower
Nature stands out for offering a wide variety of fruits depending on the type of plant, so there are some that do not offer any type of flower or fruit, being considered in three main groups described below:
Thalophytes (algae)
It is a type of simple plant that does not have any type of stem and it is not possible to differentiate in which area its root, leaves, or stem are, its sexual organs are considered to be unicellular and do not form an embryo. Depending on the type of habitat they grow and adapt, as cryophytes are found in areas with low temperatures such as sectors with long snowfalls. Thermophytes are those that usually grow in areas of very hot water. The epiphyses correspond to those that usually grow on other plants. Endophytes form inside other plants.
bryophyte plants
They are also simple and primitive plants, they are found in areas that have high levels of humidity and can also become shady, so this type of plant is usually found in sectors with extreme aridity and high levels of water. Its form of reproduction is mainly sexual where stems and leaves are observed but they do not have roots, so its structure usually easily absorbs the water and minerals present.
Pteridophyllous plants
They represent those plants that are mainly terrestrial that grow in dark areas, lack seeds and therefore do not have flowers and their leaves can produce spores that allow the plant to reproduce. Being classified into four main types.
- Psilopsida: represent those plants that are older and are found as fossil species.
- Lycopsida: plants with a single simple vein differentiated into root, stem and small leaves.
- Sphenopsida: corresponds to those plants that have nodes and internodes.
- Pteropsida - where in the bodies of these plants are found leaves, roots and stems in megaphylls.
flowering plants
There are other types of plants that have seeds and therefore have flowers in their structure, depending on the type of plant, the shape of the flower will be quite varied, being classified into two main groups:
Gymnosperms
They represent a group of plants that can be produced from seeds, where their seeds are naked and without any type of protection, so they do not develop with a closed ovary. These seeds can be seen very visibly in the leaves and also on the stem. They are a type of plant that is observed in all parts of the world adapting to cold and arctic climates. Highlighting the fact that most are perennial, so they remain in the same conditions throughout the year. They are usually woody plants that have pineapple shapes, highlighting the fact that their reproduction is carried out by pollination through the action of the wind and also by the interaction of the two opposite sexes (dioecious).
plant angiosperms
It corresponds to a type of plant with flowers that come to present fruits and seeds, which is why it represents one of the most diverse groups in the world, which is why it is considered the largest vascular plants of all today, where the greater variety of colors present in the flowers and also in their shapes. They can also present ovules that originate from hollow ovaries, eventually forming fruits, in the case of ovules that grow inside and usually give rise to various seeds.
The angiosperms are composed of two main groups known as the cotyledons that represent the food stores to carry out the effective germination of the stems, they are described exactly below:
Monocotyledonous
Corresponds to plants that have seeds that can only have one cotyledon (first leaves of embryos), come to present unusual roots (adventitious) with very simple and parallel leaves and trimeric flowers (three petals).
Dicot
They represent plants that come to be formed from seeds that have two cotyledons, coming to present primary roots and with a reticulated venation, in addition to the presence of even flowers with four or five petals.
Examples of Kingdom Plantae
The Plantae Kingdom is widely distributed throughout the planet earth, with a great variety of species in forms, structures and designs. Among some of the main examples of plants that can be presented, highlighting a great variety among trees, shrubs, ferns, weeds, including species such as seaweed, beach palms, cacti, among others.
They also highlight water plants that are highly sought after by society to be part of home and patio decorations, as well as areas such as parks and public squares. We highlight below some of the main examples according to their classification:
- Thallophytes: Ulva lactuca known as sea lettuce, Asterella ludwigii known as liver mosses.
- Bryophytes: Polytrichum commune known as hair moss, Bryum argenteum known as silver moss.
- Pteridophytes: Lycopodium clavatum, a plant widely used in medicine, Pteridium aquilinum), known as eagle fern, and Equisetum arvense, known as horsetail.
- Gymnosperms: Pinus albia known as the white pine, Ginkgo biloba known as the ginkgo.
- Angiosperms: Prunus serrulata known as the Japanese cherry blossom, Helianthus annuus known as the sunflower, and Aloe barbadensis known as aloe vera.
Importance of Kingdom Plantae
The planet is covered by a large layer of vegetation, which are classified within the Kingdom Plantae, is made up of a set of plants and algae that abound in nature, characterized by having in common is that they are eukaryotic, multicellular, autotrophic and its reproduction is preferably sexual. They stand out for being living beings found on planet earth since the primitive era and encompassing all the ecosystems and environments found in the world.
Plant life is of great importance for representing the support for the development of life in the world, mainly because they are the beings in charge of carrying out one of the main biochemical cycles that produce oxygen for the development of life on planet earth, Through this gas, life is maintained throughout the planet because it is essential for humans, plants, microorganisms and animals. It also becomes a participant in other equally important cycles for the entire planet known as the nitrogen, sulfur and water cycle, being essential elements for the balance that the entire planet earth has.
Plants represent an important factor for all beings due to the contribution of various nutrients throughout the planet such as fruits, leaves, stems, tubers, among others. Being one of the main sources of food for all living beings, due to it some practices developed since ancient times are born, such as agriculture, which represents the treatment of soils for the cultivation and harvesting of fruits, such as rice, vegetables, fruits, among other.
In addition, it is also a participant in the industrial nature, where other types of products such as paper, oils, pigments, leather, among others, can be obtained. Due to their medicinal properties they can be used against diseases and ailments
Other of the great importance that plants have and being able to act as controllers of greenhouse gases, which are usually found dispersed in the atmosphere and constantly deteriorate the ozone layer, among them carbon dioxide can be highlighted, considering that plants present in forests are capable of absorbing 50% of the carbon dioxide present in the atmosphere.
They can also act as absorbers of the water found in the soil, preventing uncontrolled accumulation and facilitating the formation of plant species, thus generating a great variety and abundance of species. Plants are considered as photoautotrophic organisms, being capable of self-reproduction, feeding and regeneration.
They are participants in the food chains of all ecosystems, managing to fix organic carbon, as it originates from inorganic sources. Being sources of food and energy for all organisms, depending on the production of organic matter from other photosynthetic organisms.
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