Vaskulaarikasveja

Vaskulaarikasveja are plants that possess specialized vascular tissues for transporting water and nutrients throughout their structures. These tissues are xylem and phloem. Xylem is responsible for carrying water and dissolved minerals from the roots to the rest of the plant, while phloem transports sugars produced during photosynthesis from the leaves to other parts of the plant where they are needed for growth or storage. This vascular system allows vaskulaarikasveja to grow much larger and more complex than non-vascular plants, such as mosses, which rely on diffusion for internal transport.

The evolution of vascular tissue was a significant step in plant evolution, enabling plants to colonize drier terrestrial environments. Vaskulaarikasveja are divided into several major groups, including ferns, horsetails, clubmosses, gymnosperms (like conifers and cycads), and angiosperms (flowering plants). These groups exhibit a wide range of life cycles and reproductive strategies, but all share the fundamental characteristic of having a vascular system. The presence of true roots, stems, and leaves is also a common feature of vaskulaarikasveja, although the specific morphology of these organs can vary greatly. The diversity of vaskulaarikasveja is immense, forming the backbone of most terrestrial ecosystems on Earth.