What Makes the Plant Kingdom Unique?

The plant kingdom boasts a whole host of species in every possible shape, size and color. Although plants share some basic traits with animals, they have some characteristics that are wholly unique.

Function

Plants are the basic support system for animals. They literally provide animals with everything they need to live, from food, to shelter, to the very oxygen they breathe.

Growth

Plants exhibit "open growth", which means they can grow perpetually throughout their life span.

Food

Plants are.producers, which means that they can create their own food internally. They do so by converting sunlight into simple sugars.

Reproduction

Plants reproduce sexually. Because they are stationary, they require the help of pollinators--such as bees, butterflies and wind--for fertilization.

Cell Structure

Plant cells have a rigid outer layer called the cell wall. They also contains structures called chloroplast, which house the plant's chlorophyll, and in which photosynthesis takes place.

References

• Microbiology Procedure:Structural and Functional Differences Between Plants and Animals
• Tutorvista:Kingdom Classification