Just as there are many different kinds of animals, there are also many different kinds of plants. The earliest plants had no special vascular tissues devoted to transport, meaning they could not grow to great heights because they couldn’t transport necessary liquids and minerals over long distances. These plants are called nonvascular or nontracheophyte. Tracheophytes, also called vascular plants, do have special vascular tissues for transport. Vascular tissues are composed of specialized cells that create “tubes” through which materials can flow throughout the plant body. These vessels are continuous throughout the plant, allowing for the efficient and controlled distribution of water and nutrients. In addition to this transport function, vascular tissues also support the plant. The two types of vascular tissue are xylem and phloem. Plant growth is controlled by plant hormones, which influence cell differentiation, elongation, and division. Some plant hormones also affect the timing of reproduction and germination. Plants can reproduce both asexually and sexually. Each type of reproduction has its benefits and disadvantages. This book presents a modern, applied integration of whole plant and molecular approaches to the study of plants.