Question

Four adaptations - cuticle, vascular tissue, seeds, and flowers - are key characters defining four major modern plant groups. Which group first evolved vascular tissue?

a) Bryophytes
b) Pteridophytes
c) Gymnosperms
d) Angiosperms

Answer 1

The pteridophytes, which include ferns, club mosses, and horsetails, were the first group to evolve vascular tissue. The correct option is B.

Step-by-step explanation:

The group that first evolved vascular tissue are the pteridophytes. Vascular tissue in plants consists of the xylem and phloem, which transport water, minerals, and nutrients throughout the plant. This development allowed pteridophytes, which include ferns, club mosses, and horsetails, to grow taller and thrive on land.

Pteridophytes are categorized as seedless vascular plants, differentiating them from bryophytes which do not have vascular tissue, and from gymnosperms and angiosperms which have both seeds and vascular tissue.