plant with xylem and phloem elements for conducting water. nutrients. and photosynthates.

Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary
vascular plant (noun)
a plant having a specialized conducting system that includes xylem and phloem - tracheophyte
vascular plant (Wikipedia)

Vascular plants
Athyrium filix-femina.jpg
SilurianHolocene,425–0 Ma
Scientific classification e
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Embryophytes
Clade: Polysporangiophytes
Clade: Tracheophytes
Sinnott, 1935 ex Cavalier-Smith, 1998
Divisions
† Extinct

Vascular plants (from Latin vasculum: duct), also known as tracheophytes (from the equivalent Greek term trachea), form a large group of plants (c. 308,312 accepted known species) that are defined as those land plants that have lignified tissues (the xylem) for conducting water and minerals throughout the plant. They also have a specialized non-lignified tissue (the phloem) to conduct products of photosynthesis. Vascular plants include the clubmosses, horsetails, ferns, gymnosperms (including conifers) and angiosperms (flowering plants). Scientific names for the group include Tracheophyta, Tracheobionta and Equisetopsida sensu lato.

« Back to Glossary Index