All living organisms of the Earth originallyhistorically divided into the kingdom of animals and the kingdom of plants. Then it was decided to separate mushrooms, bacteria and viruses into an independent kingdom. After a while, protists, archaeos and chromists took shape as an independent kingdom.
In the plant kingdom are flowering plants andgymnosperms, mosses and horsetails, ferns and mosses. Sometimes they are referred to as algae. Flowering plants and some gymnosperms divide 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. In the basis of his reasoning, the scientist put two facts:
Despite the fact that the kingdom of plants is the most studied direction of science, discoveries in this field are still being made. And there are still a lot of controversial issues.
For example, today one can not assert the fact thatplants can not move. Moving independently - yes, they can not, because the root system firmly holds the plant in one place. But they are able to make certain movements.
Take, for example, the ability of some trees,shrubs, grasses and flowers "cry" - isolate the liquid before the rain. A similar phenomenon has been observed with respect to maple, alder, willow, pine, acacia, alocacia, headband, quinoa, placoon grass.
Let's say that this is not regarded by biologists asphysical process, but as a chemical process. Then we can give a more interesting example - predatory plants. No one here will argue: the leaves of the leaf of the carnivorous flower are closed, only the insect settles on it. This can easily be observed, having such an amazing home "pet" at home on the windowsill!
There is probably such an objection that the plantperforms such actions automatically, that is, a certain function works, regardless of the creature's desire. Thus, the conclusion suggests: the world of plants differs from living nature in that they are not capable of wanting, experiencing emotions, thinking. The processes of life activity are carried out regardless of the subject himself.
Then we can give an example (long ago, in the 60'syears the article was published in the journal Science and Life with photos). Two plants are displayed side by side on the window. On one of the appendages of each, cuts are made, from which the discharge of a liquid functioning along the stem occurs. Droplets fall with a clear regularity.
Constantly a man enters into the room, who pours them. And the apparatuses begin to record that during the arrival of this particular person droplets start to drip more often - the plants "recognize" their breadwinner!
Further in the experience, one more character is included - the evil one"assassin". He watered one plant with boiling water, after which it perishes. A few days later, this "killer" enters again into the room. The surviving flower starts to worry terribly, having learned this person! The pressure in it is so great that droplets start to drip very quickly, almost one after another!
So do plants think or not? How do they understand the world around them? Perhaps they even know how to talk? We still have to find out all this.
Modern biology argues that the differenceplants from other kingdoms in that they live through photosynthesis. And what do they say about the already mentioned carnivorous plants? And parasites that provide their existence at the expense of the "master"? Perhaps they should also be singled out as a separate kingdom?
Yes, many issues have yet to be solved by biologists.Although today much has been done in this area. In 2004, 287 655 different plant species were registered. These are plant groups that have similar characteristics. Among them are 258 650 flowering plants, 11 000 ferns, 16 000 mosses, 8 000 green algae. But the discoveries of new species still take place today.
