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Plant Biology Flashcards
Free GCSE and A Level Biology Cards
From vascular tissue and transpiration to auxins, phototropism, and plant reproduction, these free Biology flashcards cover all the essential plant biology topics for GCSE and A Level.
Question
What are the two types of vascular tissue in plants?
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Answer
Xylem (transports water and dissolved minerals from roots to leaves) and phloem (transports dissolved sugars from leaves to rest of the plant — translocation).
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Question
What is transpiration?
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Answer
The loss of water vapour from plant leaves through stomata. It drives the transpiration stream, pulling water up the xylem from roots to leaves.
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Question
What factors increase the rate of transpiration?
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Answer
Higher temperature, lower humidity, higher wind speed, and greater light intensity all increase transpiration.
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Question
What is the role of guard cells?
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Answer
Guard cells flank stomata and control their opening and closing. When turgid (full of water), they bow outward and open the stoma; when flaccid, the stoma closes.
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Question
What is phototropism?
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Answer
The growth of a plant in response to light. Shoots are positively phototropic (grow towards light); roots are negatively phototropic.
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Question
What is gravitropism (geotropism)?
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Answer
Growth in response to gravity. Roots are positively gravitropic (grow downward); shoots are negatively gravitropic (grow upward).
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Question
What is the role of auxin in phototropism?
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Answer
Auxin moves to the shaded side of a shoot, causing those cells to elongate more. This bends the shoot towards the light source.
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Question
What is the difference between xylem and phloem structure?
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Answer
Xylem cells are dead at maturity, have thick lignified walls, and form hollow tubes. Phloem cells are living, have sieve plates, and are accompanied by companion cells.
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Question
What is pollination?
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Answer
The transfer of pollen from an anther (male) to a stigma (female). Can be by wind (anemophily) or insects/animals (entomophily/zoophily).
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Question
What is the difference between wind-pollinated and insect-pollinated flowers?
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Answer
Wind-pollinated: small petals, large feathery stigmas, light pollen. Insect-pollinated: large colourful petals, nectar, sticky pollen, strong scent.
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