All living organisms of the Earth were originally historically divided into the animal kingdom and the plant kingdom. Then it was decided to isolate fungi, bacteria and viruses into an independent kingdom . After some time, protists, archaeans and chromists took shape as an independent kingdom.
The plant kingdom includes flowering plants and gymnosperms, crowns and horsetails, ferns and mosses. Sometimes they include algae. Flowering plants and some gymnosperms are divided in turn into herbs, shrubs, trees and others.
Aristotle at the dawn of the development of science defined the kingdom of plants as an intermediate state between living and inanimate nature. The scientist put two facts in the basis of his reasoning:
- These are living organisms that can multiply, consume food and water, and breathe.
- Plants are not able to move independently.
Despite the fact that the plant kingdom is the most studied area of science, discoveries are still being made in this area. And there are still a great many controversial issues.
For example, today it is impossible to assert the fact that plants cannot move. They cannot move independently - yes, they cannot, because the root system firmly holds the plant in one place. But they are capable of making certain movements.
Take, for example, the ability of some trees, shrubs, grasses and flowers to “cry” - to release fluid before rain. A similar phenomenon has been observed with respect to maple, alder, willow, pine, acacia, alocasia, brambleweed, quinoa, and grass.
Suppose biologists regard this not as a physical process, but as a chemical process. Then you can give a more interesting example - predatory plants. No one will argue here: the leaves of the leaf of the carnivorous flower close, only an insect perches on it. This can easily be observed, having such an amazing home "pet" at home on the windowsill!
There may be such an objection that the plant performs this kind of action automatically, that is, a certain function is triggered, regardless of the creature's desire. Thus, the conclusion suggests itself: the world of plants differs from wildlife in that they are not able to desire, to experience emotions, to think. Life processes are carried out regardless of the subject itself.
Then we can give such an example (for a long time, in the 60s, an article was published in the journal Science and Life with photographs). Two plants are displayed side by side on the window. On one of the processes of each cuts are made, from which there is a release of fluid functioning along the stem. Droplets fall with a clear regularity.
Constantly a person enters the room who water them. And the devices begin to fix that during the arrival of this particular person, droplets begin to drip more often - the plants “recognize” their breadwinner!
Next, another character is included in the experiment - the evil “killer”. He pours boiling water over one plant, after which it dies. A few days later this "killer" enters the room again. The surviving flower begins to freak out terribly upon recognizing this man! The pressure in it is so great that the droplets begin to drip very quickly, almost one after another!
So plants think or not? How do they understand the world around them? Perhaps they even know how to talk? All this we have yet to find out.
Modern biology claims that plants differ from other kingdoms in that they live by photosynthesis. And what do they say about the already named carnivorous plants? And parasites that ensure their existence at the expense of the "owner"? Perhaps they are also worth highlighting in a separate kingdom?
Yes, many questions have yet to be addressed by biologists. Although today a lot has been done in this area. In 2004, 287,655 different plant species were registered. These are groups of plants that have similar characteristics. Among them, 258,650 flowering, 11,000 ferns, 16,000 mosses, 8,000 green algae are distinguished . But discoveries of new species still take place today.