Which Plant Needs Water for Fertilization and Has Vascular Tissue?

Plants are a diverse group of organisms, ranging from mosses and ferns to flowering plants like roses and orchids. One key feature that distinguishes plants from other living things is their ability to produce their own food through a process called photosynthesis. Another feature is their ability to reproduce, either sexually or asexually. When it comes to sexual reproduction in plants, some species require water for fertilization and have vascular tissue.

What is Water-dependent Fertilization?

Water-dependent fertilization is a method of sexual reproduction in which a plant requires water to transport sperm from the male reproductive organ to the female reproductive organ. This is because the sperm in these types of plants have flagella, similar to sperm in animals, that allow them to swim through water to reach the egg. This method of fertilization is commonly found in aquatic plants, like water lilies and algae, but it can also be found in some land plants, like ferns.

What is Vascular Tissue?

Vascular tissue is a group of specialized cells that work together to transport water and nutrients throughout the plant. It is comprised of two types of tissue: xylem and phloem. Xylem tissue is responsible for transporting water and minerals from the roots to the leaves, while phloem tissue is responsible for transporting sugars and other nutrients from the leaves to the rest of the plant. Vascular tissue is important for the growth and survival of land plants, as it allows them to transport essential nutrients and support their structures.

Plants that Require Water for Fertilization and Have Vascular Tissue

One example of a plant that requires water for fertilization and has vascular tissue is the fern. Ferns are a group of plants that have been around for hundreds of millions of years and were some of the first plants to develop vascular tissue. They reproduce sexually by producing spores, which grow into separate male and female structures. The male structure produces sperm, which require water for fertilization. The sperm swim through a film of water to reach the female structure, where they fertilize the eggs.

Another example of a plant that uses water-dependent fertilization and has vascular tissue is the moss. Mosses are non-vascular plants, but they have tiny, hair-like structures called rhizoids that help them absorb water from the soil. Like ferns, mosses produce spores for reproduction, but they also have male and female structures that require water for fertilization. The sperm in mosses do not have flagella and cannot swim through water, so they rely on raindrops or other splashing mechanisms to transport them to the female structure.

Conclusion

Water-dependent fertilization and vascular tissue are important features in the evolution and survival of plants. While not all plants require water for fertilization or have vascular tissue, those that do have a unique advantage in their ability to transport essential nutrients and reproduce efficiently. The fern and the moss are two examples of plants that have these two features, and their adaptations have allowed them to thrive for millions of years in a diverse range of environments.