Organism
4                                                                
           
                                                                       
                                   

Field Notes:     Specimens collected from small
freshwater pool in Big Thicket National Preserve (TX). Plants
                       
formed ‘film’ covering surface of water in areas.

Laboratory Analysis:

           
Body: Very small; approximately 5mm in length; consists of
root, stem, leaf, and flower.

           
Chromosomal Analysis: Diploid (chromosome # 40).

           
Lignin test: Positive

           
Cuticle: Present

           
Leaves: Present—contain gas bladders that make plant
buoyant.

                       
Contains chlorophyll a, b; B-carotenes; xanthophylls.

           
Roots: Present (single).

           
Stem: Present, xylem and phloem present.

           
Notes: Flower parts in threes.

Life History: Sporophyte (dominant generation); While there is
much vegetative reproduction, plants do at
          times
flower. Fruits (utricle) contain 1-7 seeds that initially sink,
then float to the top as they
          
          germinate.

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Tentative
Classification:                     
Domain:         
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Kingdom:        
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Phylum:          
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Communication: The local media features the work of your team on
their nightly news. During a live interview the reporter asks you:
“While this plant lives in water, it doesn’t produce sperm that can
swim—how do the sperm make it to the egg for fertilization to
occur?”

Response: