Topic 1.3 · Supplement
Ferns and Flowering Plants
Within the plant kingdom, this syllabus divides plants into two groups: ferns and flowering plants. Flowering plants are then split further into monocotyledons and dicotyledons, but the first classification line — the one this page is about — comes down to how each group reproduces.
Ferns
Ferns have roots, stems, leaves called fronds, and vascular tissue, but no flowers and no seeds. They reproduce using spores, commonly produced in structures on the undersides of fern fronds. That’s the feature to hold onto: ferns reproduce using spores rather than flowers and seeds.
Flowering plants
Flowering plants also have roots, stems, leaves and vascular tissue, but they additionally produce flowers and seeds. Flowers contain the structures involved in sexual reproduction, and following fertilisation, ovules develop into seeds. It’s the production of flowers and seeds that distinguishes this group from ferns — every other structural similarity between the two groups is beside the point for classification purposes.
Flowering plants don’t stop there. This syllabus splits them further into monocotyledons and dicotyledons, using the number of seed leaves and several other visible features as the evidence.