What is a flowering plant?
The ovule of flowering plants contains female tissue with two cells that are fertilised, surrounded by a protective jacket. The ovule in these plants is contained within the ovary of a carpel. Flowering plants are therefore known as the angiosperms (angion-vessel; sperma, seed).
After fertilisation the ovary wall develops into a dry or a fleshy fruit containing one or more seeds.
Early flowering plants
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Seed plants were present in the late Devonian Period about 360 million years ago.
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Flowering plants today (phylum Anthophyta)
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The two largest classes of flowering plants, the eudicots and monocots together comprise 97 % of the members of this phylum.
The monocots are characterised by one cotyledon (seed leaf) and pollen grains with one pore or slit.
The eudicots have two cotyledons and pollen grains with two pores or slits.
The remaining 3% of flowering plants, the magnoliids, have two cotyledons and pollen grains with one pore or slit; they also have the most primitive features.
Illustration: Vivian Ward |
(1) By geographical location - North and South Islands, Northern Of-Shore Islands, Kermadec Islands or Subantarctic Islands.
(2) By common name or by scientific name.
(3) By family - Select from the family table below.
Table: Plant families covered in this website
