Kasvi

Kasvi is the Finnish term for plant and refers to members of the kingdom Plantae. In a broad sense, kasvi includes all multicellular, photosynthetic organisms that form the basis of most terrestrial ecosystems.

Most kasvi are autotrophs that convert light energy into chemical energy through photosynthesis. They typically have cellulose-based cell walls and chloroplasts with chlorophyll. While most are stationary, there are parasitic and carnivorous plants that derive some nutrients from other sources and may lack full photosynthetic ability.

Kasvi are traditionally divided into bryophytes (mosses and liverworts), pteridophytes (ferns and horsetails), and seed plants, which include gymnosperms and angiosperms. Angiosperms, or flowering plants, dominate modern flora and produce seeds enclosed in fruits.

Most land plants exhibit an alternation of generations, with a haploid gametophyte and a diploid sporophyte stage. In seed plants, the sporophyte is the dominant phase and fertilization leads to seeds; in bryophytes, the gametophyte is more prominent.

Kasvi occupy nearly every habitat, from deserts to tundra oceans to freshwater. They provide oxygen, form the base of food webs, stabilize soils, store carbon, and supply materials for food, medicine, shelter, and decoration.

Humans cultivate and study kasvi for food, fibre, medicine, and aesthetics. Botany, agriculture, and ecology examine plant form, reproduction, genetics, and responses to environment.