Example Organisms Plants

Volvox carteri• This plant is a species of

colonial green algae that forms large, spherical colonies

• There are three types of colonies: female, male, and vegetative• Female colonies contain egg

bundles • Male colonies contain sperm

bundles • All three colonies contain

specialized cells called gonidia that allow the plants to reproduce asexually

Geothallus tuberosus

• This plant is a liverwort that resides in the Sphaerocarpaceae family

• These liverworts are found in southern California in their natural habitat of hot desert

• Habitat loss is a huge concern for these plants as they are confined to a very small geographical area

Sphagnum magellanicum

• This is a type of moss commonly called peat moss

• One of the most common mosses in Chile

• Distinguishable by it’s red coloring

Ceratophyllum demersum• Known as the

Common Hornwort• This plant is rootless

and lives completely submerged in water

• It can be found in quiet ponds, lakes, and streams and serves as a beneficial oxygenator for these bodies of water

• This plant is also the most common form of Ceratophyllum in North America

Ophioderma falcatum• Commonly known as the Puapua moa• Native to the Hawaiian islands except Ni'ihau and

Kaho'olawe and some other Pacific islands • This plant is located in the Ophioglossaceae

family and is a fern

Ginkgo biloba• The Maidenhair Tree, as

it is commonly referred to, is unique in the fact that it has no living relatives

• This tree grows in China and Japan and is used for many purposes including, food and traditional medicine

• The leaves on this tree are a green but during fall they turn bright yellow and then fall off (usually within the course of about two weeks)

Encephalartos sclavoi• This plant is found in Tanzania and is critically

endangered • It has long, dark green, semi-glossy leaves

surrounding the seed cone• Being part of the gymnosperms, it is a seed baring

plant that contains an unenclosed seed

Prunus pensylvanica• Commonly known as the Pin cherry or Fire cherry,

this tree is found a large span of land in the United States and Canada

• The name “Fire cherry” does not refer to the bright red color of the fruit on this tree as most would suspect, but in fact refers to the trees’ ability to reforest after forest fires

The small red fruit found on these trees is used as a very beneficial food source for birds

Triticum aestivum• This plant is known as Common

wheat and is a monocotyledon, meaning that it’s seedlings only have one cotyledon (seed leaf)

• Common wheat was first domesticated in western Asia and reached North American in the 16th century when the Spanish missions brought it over seas with them

• Wheat is a very beneficial plant to humans as it is well adapted to modern day bread making

Ricinus communis• The Caster Oil plant, as it is

commonly referred to, is a dicotyledon, meaning that it’s seedlings have 2 distinct seed leaves

• This plant is grown in many parts of the world and produces caster oil, which has many uses

• Interestingly, the caster oil plant’s seed is highly toxic, due to the amount of ricin it contains; according to the Guinness Book of World Records the caster oil plant is the most poisonous in the world

The two cotyledons are very prevalent in this young caster oil plant

Hemerocallis (daylilly)• The daylilly is

a plant with a beautiful flower that opens at sunrise and withers at sunset

• These flowers are native to China, Japan, and Korea

Welwitschia mirabilis

• This plant is known commonly at Welwitschia in English and Tweeblaarkanniedood in Afrikaans

• It is found in a small region within the Namib desert in Namibia and Angola

• The plants name comes from the name of the Austrian botanist, Friedrich Welwitsch, who discovered it in 1859

Wisteria sinensis

• Commonly known as Chinese Wisteria, this is a flowering vine that is native to the provinces of China

• The vine can be trained into growing like a tree with a wavy trunk and flat top, but is found in the vine shape naturally

• The flowers on this plants have colors that range from white, purple, and blue and have a smell that is very similar to grapes

Maihuenia poepigii • This is a cactus shrub that grows in Chile and

Argentina • Can tolerate moisture and cold weather • Has large, satiny, yellow-colored flowers that bloom

in late spring

Cocos nucifera• Commonly known as the Coconut Palm • Grown in hot climates• Most commonly planted tree species• Symbol of the tropics and vacationing