Plant and Mike Matusow: Difference between pages

Revision as of 17:07, 10 November 2006

Revision as of 21:54, 11 July 2007

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{{infobox poker player

{{otheruses}}{{Taxobox

|firstname=Mike

| color = lightgreen

|lastname=Matusow

| name = Plantae

|nickname=Mike The Mouth

| fossil_range = Middle-Late [[Ordovician]] - Recent

| image =Mike FernMatusow.jpg

|caption=Mike Matusow at the 2006 World Poker Tour 5 Diamond Bellagio tournament

| image_width = 280px

|hometown=Las Vegas, Nevada

| image_caption = Fern frond

|wsop bracelet count=2(+1)

| ___domain = [[Eukaryote|Eukaryota]]

|wsop money finishes=20

| regnum = '''Plantae'''

|wsop main event best finish rank=6th

| regnum_authority = [[Ernst Haeckel|Haeckel]], 1866

|wsop main event best finish year=2001

| subdivision_ranks = Divisions

|wpt titles=''None''

| subdivision =

|wpt final tables=1(+1)

* '''[[Green algae]]'''

|wpt money finishes=4

** [[Chlorophyta]]

** [[Charophyta]]

* '''[[Embryophyte|Land plants]] (embryophytes)'''

** '''[[Bryophyte|Non-vascular plants]] (bryophytes)'''

*** [[Marchantiophyta]] - liverworts

*** [[Hornwort|Anthocerotophyta]] - hornworts

*** [[Moss|Bryophyta]] - mosses

** '''[[Vascular plant]]s (tracheophytes)'''

*** †[[Rhyniophyta]] - rhyniophytes

*** †[[Zosterophyllophyta]] - zosterophylls

*** [[Lycopodiophyta]] - clubmosses

*** †[[Trimerophytophyta]] - trimerophytes

*** [[Equisetophyta]] - horsetails

*** [[fern|Pteridophyta]] - "true" ferns

*** [[whisk fern|Psilotophyta]] - whisk ferns

*** [[Ophioglossophyta]] - adderstongues

*** '''''[[Spermatophyta|Seed plants]] (spermatophytes)'''''

**** †[[Pteridospermatophyta]] - seed ferns

**** [[Pinophyta]] - conifers

**** [[Cycad|Cycadophyta]] - cycads

**** [[Ginkgo|Ginkgophyta]] - ginkgo

**** [[Gnetae|Gnetophyta]] - gnetae

**** [[Flowering plant|Magnoliophyta]] - flowering plants

}}

'''Michael Matusow''' (born [[April 30]] [[1968]] in [[Los Angeles, California|Los Angeles]], [[California]]) is an [[United States|American]] professional [[poker]] player, residing in [[Henderson, Nevada]]. Matusow's nickname of "The Mouth" reflects his reputation for trash-talking at the poker table. He is also known for his habit of ruining hours or days of good play with a single spectacular misjudgment, (known as a "Mike Matusow Blow-up" or "Mike Matusow Meltdown").<ref name="pokerlistings">{{cite web|url=http://www.pokerlistings.com/poker-player_mike-matusow?show=bio

[[Image:Adiantumpedatum.jpg|thumb|250px|''Adiantum pedatum'' (a [[fern]])]]

|title=Mike Matusow - Poker Player Profile|publisher=www.PokerListings.com|author=Anonymous|accessdate=2006-08-06}}</ref>

Matusow began playing poker seriously in the early 1990s, first while working as a [[poker dealer]], then as a professional player.<ref name="fulltiltprofile">{{cite web|url=http://www.fulltiltpoker.com/mikeMatusow.php

'''Plants''' are a major group of [[life|living things]] including familiar [[organism]]s such as [[tree]]s, [[flower]]s, [[herb]]s, [[fern]]s, and [[moss]]es. About 350,000 [[species]] of plants, defined as [[seed plant]]s, [[bryophyte]]s, [[fern]]s and [[fern allies]], have been estimated to exist. As of 2004, some 287,655 species had been identified, of which 258,650 are flowering and 15,000 bryophytes. Plants are mostly [[autotroph]]s, organisms that obtain energy from sunlight or organisms that make their own food. Most plants carry out a process called [[photosynthesis]], which occurs in the [[chloroplast]]s of plants.

|title=Mike Matusow|publisher=[[Full Tilt Poker]]|author=Anonymous|accessdate=2006-08-06}}</ref> His successes include being a 2-time [[World Series of Poker]] bracelet winner,<ref name="99wsop3500">{{cite web|url=http://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=7856|title=1999 World Series of Poker $3,500 No Limit Hold 'em event results|publisher=[[The Hendon Mob]]|author=Butt, Robert|accessdate=2006-08-06}}</ref><ref name="02omahahilo">{{cite web|url=http://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=4416|title=2002 World Series of Poker $5,000 Omaha hi/lo event results|publisher=The Hendon Mob|author=Butt, Robert|accessdate=2006-08-06}}</ref> and the winner of the 2005 [[World Series of Poker Tournament of Champions]].<ref name="05wsoptoc">{{cite web|url=http://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=14994|title=2005 World Series of Poker Tournament of Champions results|publisher=The Hendon Mob|author=Butt, Robert|accessdate=2006-08-06}}</ref> His success brought him increasingly into contact with [[illegal drug]]s and in September 2004, he was sentenced to six months imprisonment.<ref name="ppm">{{cite news | last = Kaplan | first = Michael | title = Me and My Big Mouth | date = [[August 2006]] | url = [[http://www.totalgambler.com/theplayers/playerinterviews/1259/me_and_my_big_mouth.html]] | accessdate = [[2007-06-01]] }}</ref><ref name="lasvegasvegas">{{cite web|url=http://www.lasvegasvegas.com/pokerblog/archives/001648.php|title=Mike Matusow Sentenced|publisher=www.LasVegasVegas.com|author="flipchipro"|accessdate=2006-08-06}}</ref> He has played in many tournaments around the world and his winnings (as of 2007) total about 5 million dollars.<ref name="stats">{{cite web|url=http://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/player.php?a=s&n=170|title=Mike Matusow - Stats|publisher=The Hendon Mob|author=Butt, Robert|accessdate=2006-08-06}}</ref>

==Early years==

[[Aristotle]] divided all living things between plants, which generally do not move, and animals. In [[Carolus Linnaeus|Linnaeus]]' system, these became the [[kingdom (biology)|Kingdoms]] Vegetabilia (later Plantae) and [[Animal]]ia. Since then, it has become clear that the Plantae as originally defined included several unrelated groups, and the [[fungus|fungi]] and several groups of [[alga]]e were removed to new kingdoms. However, these are still often considered plants in many contexts. Indeed, any attempt to match "plant" with a single taxon is doomed to fail, because plant is a vaguely defined concept unrelated to the presumed [[Phylogenetics|phylogenic]] concepts on which modern [[taxonomy]] is based.

Matusow suffered from [[bullying]] when going through school and did not attend college. He attempted to get work as an [[auto mechanic]], but did not complete the required studying for the job. He later worked at his family's furniture store.<ref name="ppm">{{cite news | last = Kaplan | first = Michael | title = Me and My Big Mouth | date = August 2006 | url = http://www.totalgambler.com/theplayers/playerinterviews/1259/me_and_my_big_mouth.html |Total Gambler | accessdate = 2007-06-01}}</ref>

Matusow's first experience of poker was playing [[video poker]] in the [[Westin Causarina Las Vegas Hotel, Casino & Spa|Maxim Casino]] at the age of 18, which he played regularly, to the extent he suffered from [[repetitive strain injury]] in his shoulders and arms. He occasionally stole money from his mother's purse and at one point attended [[Gamblers Anonymous]] meetings. Matusow was taught [[Texas hold 'em]] in 1989 by a [[rounder]] named Steve Samaroff. Early in his career, he won 81 out of 82 sessions and $250,000. He also worked as a [[poker dealer]].<ref name="ppm">{{cite news | last = Kaplan | first = Michael | title = Me and My Big Mouth | date = [[August 2006]] | url = [[http://www.totalgambler.com/theplayers/playerinterviews/1259/me_and_my_big_mouth.html]] | accessdate = [[2007-06-01]] }}</ref><ref name="fulltiltprofile">{{cite web|url=http://www.fulltiltpoker.com/mikeMatusow.php

==Embryophytes==

|title=Mike Matusow|publisher=[[Full Tilt Poker]]|author=Anonymous|accessdate=2006-08-06}}</ref>

:'' Main article: [[Embryophyte|Embryophytes]]''

Most familiar are the [[multicellular]] land plants, called [[embryophyte]]s. They include the [[vascular plant]]s, plants with full systems of [[leaf|leaves]], [[Plant stem|stems]], and [[root]]s. They also include a few of their close relatives, often called ''[[bryophytes]]'', of which [[moss]]es and [[Marchantiophyta |liverworts]] are the most common.

==World Series of Poker==

All of these plants have [[eukaryote|eukaryotic]] cells with [[cell wall]]s composed of [[cellulose]], and most obtain their energy through [[photosynthesis]], using [[light]] and [[carbon dioxide]] to synthesize food. About three hundred plant species do not photosynthesize but are [[parasite]]s on other species of photosynthetic plants. Plants are distinguished from [[green alga]]e, which represent a mode of photosynthetic life similar to the kind modern plants are believed to have evolved from, by having specialized reproductive organs protected by non-reproductive tissues.

At the [[1998 World Series of Poker]] (WSOP), Matusow paid one-third of [[Scotty Nguyen]]'s entrance fee into a satellite event for the $10,000 [[betting (poker)|no limit]] Texas hold 'em main event. Nguyen went on to win, and gave $333,333 to Matusow in return for his partial stake.<ref name="ppm">{{cite news | last = Kaplan | first = Michael | title = Me and My Big Mouth | date = [[August 2006]] | url = [[http://www.totalgambler.com/theplayers/playerinterviews/1259/me_and_my_big_mouth.html]] | accessdate = [[2007-06-01]] }}</ref> In [[2001 World Series of Poker|2001]], he finished 6th place in the WSOP $10,000 no limit Hold 'em main event. Matusow claims that the decisive hand was when he was [[bluff (poker)|bluffed]] by eventual champion [[Carlos Mortensen|Juan Carlos Mortensen]], but did not trust his instincts to call.<ref name="ppm">{{cite news | last = Kaplan | first = Michael | title = Me and My Big Mouth | date = [[August 2006]] | url = [[http://www.totalgambler.com/theplayers/playerinterviews/1259/me_and_my_big_mouth.html]] | accessdate = [[2007-06-01]] }}</ref><ref name="01wsopme">{{cite web|url=http://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=3066

|title=2001 World Series of Poker $10,000 No Limit Hold 'em main event results|publisher=The Hendon Mob|author=Butt, Robert|accessdate=2006-08-06}}</ref> At the [[2004 World Series of Poker|2004 WSOP]] main event, Matusow was a focal point of [[ESPN]]'s coverage, as he verbally attacked eventual champion [[Greg Raymer]].<ref name="04wsopme">{{cite web|url=http://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=6628|title=2004 World Series of Poker $10,000 No Limit Hold 'em main event results|publisher=The Hendon Mob|author=Butt, Robert|accessdate=2006-08-06}}</ref><ref name="raymerwebsite">{{cite web|url=http://www.fossilmanpoker.com/faqs.htm

|title=FAQs|publisher=www.FossilmanPoker.com|author=Raymer, Greg|accessdate=2006-08-06}}</ref><ref name="pokerbabes">{{cite web|url=http://www.poker-babes.com/bio/mike-matusow/|title=Mike Matusow|publisher=www.PokerBabes.com|author=Rosario, Shirley|authorlink=Shirley Rosario|accessdate=2006-08-06}}</ref> In the [[2005 World Series of Poker|2005 WSOP]], Matusow finished 9th out of 5,619 players in the main event, winning $1,000,000.<ref name="05wsopme">{{cite web|url=http://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=14015|title=2005 World Series of Poker $10,000 No Limit Hold 'em main event results|publisher=The Hendon Mob|author=Butt, Robert|accessdate=2006-08-06}}</ref> Several months later, he won the [[World Series of Poker Tournament of Champions|WSOP Tournament of Champions]] in a heads-up battle against [[Hoyt Corkins]], earning another $1,000,000 in the process. He also placed third in the Tournament of Champions the following year.<ref name="05wsoptoc">{{cite web|url=http://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=14994|title=2005 World Series of Poker Tournament of Champions results|publisher=The Hendon Mob|author=Butt, Robert|accessdate=2006-08-06}}</ref><ref name="06wsoptoc">{{cite web|url=http://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=15520|title=2006 World Series of Poker Tournament of Champions results|publisher=The Hendon Mob|author=Butt, Robert|accessdate=2006-08-06}}</ref>

=====World Series of Poker bracelets=====

Bryophytes first appeared during the early [[Palaeozoic]]. They can only survive where moisture is available for significant periods, although some species are desiccation tolerant. Most species of bryophyte remain small throughout their life-cycle. This involves an alternation between two generations: a [[haploid]] stage, called the [[gametophyte]], and a [[diploid]] stage, called the [[sporophyte]]. The sporophyte is short-lived and remains dependent on its parent gametophyte.

{| class="wikitable"

! style="background: #E9E9E9;" | Year

! style="background: #E9E9E9;" | Event

! style="background: #E9E9E9;" | Prize Money

|-

| [[1999 World Series of Poker|1999]]

| $3,500 No Limit Hold 'em

| $265,475<ref name="99wsop3500">{{cite web|url=http://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=7856|title=1999 World Series of Poker $3,500 No Limit Hold 'em event results|publisher=[[The Hendon Mob]]|author=Butt, Robert|accessdate=2006-08-06}}</ref>

|-

| [[2002 World Series of Poker|2002]]

| $5,000 Omaha Hi-Lo Split

| $148,520<ref name="02omahahilo">{{cite web|url=http://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=4416|title=2002 World Series of Poker $5,000 Omaha hi/lo event results|publisher=The Hendon Mob|author=Butt, Robert|accessdate=2006-08-06}}</ref>

|}

==Other poker events==

Vascular plants first appeared during the [[Silurian]] period, and by the [[Devonian]] had diversified and spread into many different land environments. They have a number of adaptations that allowed them to overcome the limitations of the bryophytes. These include a cuticle resistant to desiccation, and vascular tissues which transport water throughout the organism. In most the sporophyte acts as a separate individual, while the gametophyte remains small.

[[Image:Mikematusow2.jpg|right|thumb|Mike Matusow in the [[World Poker Tour]] Bad Boys of Poker II event.]]

In October 2004, Matusow made his first [[World Poker Tour]] (WPT) final table at the UltimateBet Aruba Classic, earning $250,000 for 3rd place.<ref name="wptaruba">{{cite web|url=http://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=8650|title=WPT Aruba Poker Classic results|publisher=The Hendon Mob|author=Butt, Robert|accessdate=2006-08-06}}</ref> In 2006, he finished runner-up to [[Tony G]] in the WPT Bad Boys of Poker II in heads-up play.<ref name="badboys2">{{cite web|url=http://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=17366|title=WPT Bad Boys of Poker II results|publisher=The Hendon Mob|author=Butt, Robert|accessdate=2006-08-06}}</ref> Matusow also appeared in [[Poker Superstars Invitational Tournament|Poker Superstars III]], where he made it to the Elite Eight. In the winner-take-all championship match, Matusow beat seven other players to win $500,000. He also appeared in the second and third season of [[High Stakes Poker]].<ref name="ps3">{{cite web|url=http://msn.foxsports.com/other/story/5398712

The first primitive seed plants, Pteridosperms (seed ferns) and Cordaites, both groups now extinct, appeared in the late Devonian and diversified through the Carboniferous, with further evolution through the [[Permian]] and [[Triassic]] periods. In these the gametophyte stage is completely reduced, and the sporophyte begins life inside an enclosure called a [[seed]], which develops while on the parent plant, and with fertilisation by means of [[pollen]] grains. Whereas other vascular plants, such as ferns, reproduce by means of spores and so need moisture to develop, some seed plants can survive and reproduce in extremely arid conditions.

|title=FSN: Poker Superstars Invitational Tournament 3|publisher=[[Fox Sports Network]]|author=Anonymous|accessdate=2006-08-06}}</ref><ref name="hsp2">{{cite web|url=http://www.pokernews.com/news/2006/5/high-stakes-poker-second-season.htm|title='High Stakes Poker' Back For A Second Season In June|publisher=www.PokerNews.com|author=Burton, Earl|accessdate=2006-08-06}}</ref>

In September 2006, Mike made his debut on the [[European Poker Tour]] (EPT) in Barcelona; however, he was eliminated on the first day. In early 2007, Matusow appeared on two episodes of [[Poker After Dark]] where he finished 3rd and 2nd respectively. He plays [[online poker]] under the following aliases: "dill pickle" ([[UltimateBet]]); "mrpokejoke" ([[PokerStars]]); and "Mike Matusow" ([[Full Tilt Poker]], where he is also a member of "Team Full Tilt").<ref name="pokerlistings">{{cite web|url=http://www.pokerlistings.com/poker-player_mike-matusow?show=bio

Early seed plants are referred to as gymnosperms (naked seeds), as the seed embryo is not enclosed in a protective structure at pollination, with the pollen landing directly on the embryo. Four surviving groups remain widespread now, particularly the [[conifer]]s, which are dominant [[tree]]s in several [[biome]]s. The angiosperms, comprising the [[flowering plant]]s, were the last major group of plants to appear, emerging from within the gymnosperms during the [[Jurassic]] and diversifying rapidly during the [[Cretaceous]]. These differ in that the seed embryo(angiosperm) is enclosed, so the pollen has to grow a tube to penetrate the protective seed coat; they are the predominant group of flora in most biomes today.

|title=Mike Matusow - Poker Player Profile|publisher=www.PokerListings.com|author=Anonymous|accessdate=2006-08-06}}</ref><ref name="fulltiltprofile">{{cite web|url=http://www.fulltiltpoker.com/mikeMatusow.php

|title=Mike Matusow|publisher=[[Full Tilt Poker]]|author=Anonymous|accessdate=2006-08-06}}</ref> As of 2007, his total live tournament winnings exceed $4,800,000.<ref name="stats">{{cite web|url=http://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/player.php?a=s&n=170|title=Mike Matusow - Stats|publisher=The Hendon Mob|author=Butt, Robert|accessdate=2006-08-06}}</ref>

==AlgaePersonal and fungilife==

In September 2002, Matusow held a party in a VIP booth of [[The Palms]], providing free ecstasy to friends. He was introduced to undercover [[Narc (Narcotics)|narcotic agent]] Mike Fento, who claimed he was involved in an [[organized crime]] family in [[Chicago, Illinois|Chicago]] that planned to open a [[strip club]]. Matusow claims that Fento got him involved in [[money laundering]] and asked him to score drugs for him. Matusow discovered from one of his dealers that Fento was an agent, but was arrested at his house on [[September 25]] [[2003]] for "selling and trafficking controlled substances." The police offered to allow him to wear a [[Covert listening device|wire]] to help them secure evidence on a nightclub owner, but Matusow refused as the person was connected to organized crime and could have had him killed.<ref name="ppm">{{cite news | last = Kaplan | first = Michael | title = Me and My Big Mouth | date = [[August 2006]] | url = [[http://www.totalgambler.com/theplayers/playerinterviews/1259/me_and_my_big_mouth.html]] | accessdate = [[2007-06-01]] }}</ref> Matusow was in prison from September 2004 to April 2005. During this time, Matusow lost his $250,000 winnings from his WPT final table on sports betting. [[John Juanda]] was one of the few poker players who visited him.<ref name="ppm">{{cite news | last = Kaplan | first = Michael | title = Me and My Big Mouth | date = [[August 2006]] | url = [[http://www.totalgambler.com/theplayers/playerinterviews/1259/me_and_my_big_mouth.html]] | accessdate = [[2007-06-01]] }}</ref><ref name="lasvegasvegas">{{cite web|url=http://www.lasvegasvegas.com/pokerblog/archives/001648.php|title=Mike Matusow Sentenced|publisher=www.LasVegasVegas.com|author="flipchipro"|accessdate=2006-08-06}}</ref>

The [[alga]]e comprise several different groups of organisms that produce energy through photosynthesis. However, they are not classified within the Kingdom Plantae but mostly in the Kingdom Protista. Most conspicuous are the [[seaweed]]s, multicellular algae that may roughly resemble terrestrial plants, but are classified among the [[green alga|green]], [[red alga|red]], and [[brown alga]]e. These and other algal groups also include various single-celled organisms.

Upon his release, [[Phil Hellmuth|Phil Hellmuth Jr]] loaned him $5,000 to start up a new bankroll. At the 2005 WSOP, however, he lost most of the $750,000 bankroll he had built up from Hellmuth's original loan and even convinced friends to take away his [[Computer keyboard|keyboard]] and [[Mouse (computing)|mouse]] so he could not play online poker.<ref name="ppm">{{cite news | last = Kaplan | first = Michael | title = Me and My Big Mouth | date = [[August 2006]] | url = [[http://www.totalgambler.com/theplayers/playerinterviews/1259/me_and_my_big_mouth.html]] | accessdate = [[2007-06-01]] }}</ref>

The embryophytes developed from green algae; the two groups are collectively referred to as the green plants or Viridiplantae. The Kingdom Plantae is often taken to mean this [[monophyletic]] grouping. With a few exceptions among the green algae, all such forms have cell walls containing [[cellulose]] and [[chloroplast]]s containing [[chlorophyll]]s ''a'' and ''b'', and store food in the form of [[starch]]. They undergo closed [[mitosis]] without [[centriole]]s, and typically have [[mitochondrion|mitochondria]] with flat cristae.

Matusow resides in a 3,700 [[square foot]] home in Henderson (with a cathedral ceiling) and bought a $90,000 [[BMW E63/E64|BMW 645 CI cabriolet]] from a $750,000 winning session at online poker.<ref name="ppm">{{cite news | last = Kaplan | first = Michael | title = Me and My Big Mouth | date = [[August 2006]] | url = [[http://www.totalgambler.com/theplayers/playerinterviews/1259/me_and_my_big_mouth.html]] | accessdate = [[2007-06-01]] }}

The chloroplasts of green plants are surrounded by two membranes, suggesting they originated directly from endosymbiotic [[cyanobacteria]]. The same is true of the [[red alga]]e, and the two groups are generally believed to have a common origin (see [[Archaeplastida]]). In contrast, most other algae have chloroplasts with three or four membranes. They are not close relatives of the green plants, presumably in origin acquiring chloroplasts separately from ingested or symbiotic green and red algae.

</ref> He often wears a gold chain with the Hebrew symbol 'chai' around his neck.<ref name="ppm">{{cite news | last = Kaplan | first = Michael | title = Me and My Big Mouth | date = [[August 2006]] | url = [[http://www.totalgambler.com/theplayers/playerinterviews/1259/me_and_my_big_mouth.html]] | accessdate = [[2007-06-01]] }}</ref> Additionally, Matusow hosted Card Player's poker radio show / [[podcast]], ''the Circuit'', before being replaced by [[Gavin Smith]] and [[Joe Sebok]].<ref name="cardplayer">{{cite web|url=http://www.cardplayer.com/thecircuit/?page=11

|title=The Circuit|publisher=www.cardplayer.com|author=Anonymous}}</ref>

==Notes==

Unlike embryophytes and algae, [[fungus|fungi]] are not photosynthetic, but are [[saprotrophs]]: obtaining food by breaking down and absorbing surrounding materials. Most fungi are formed by microscopic structures called hyphae, which may or may not be divided into cells but contain eukaryotic [[cell nucleus|nuclei]]. Fruiting bodies, of which [[mushroom]]s are most familiar, are the reproductive structures of fungi. They are not related to any of the photosynthetic groups, but are close relatives of [[animal]]s. Therefore, the [[fungi]] are in a kingdom of their own.

<div class="references-small">

==Importance==

The study of plant uses by people is termed economic botany or [[ethnobotany]]. They are often used as synonyms but some consider economic botany to focus mainly on uses of modern cultivated plants, while ethnobotany studies uses of indigenous plants by native peoples. Human cultivation of plants is part of [[agriculture]], which is the basis of human civilization. Plant agriculture is subdivided into [[agronomy]], [[horticulture]] and [[forestry]].

===Food===

Virtually all human nutrition depends on land plants, directly or indirectly. The animals some people eat are mainly [[herbivore]]s. Much of human nutrition depends on [[cereals]], especially [[corn]], [[wheat]] and [[rice]] or other [[staple crop]]s such as [[potato]], [[cassava]], and [[legume]]s. Other plants that are eaten include [[fruits]], [[vegetables]], [[nut (fruit)|nuts]], [[herbs]], [[spices]] and [[flowers|edible flowers]]. Beverages from plants include [[coffee]], [[tea]], [[wine]], [[beer]] and [[alcohol]]. [[Sugar]] is obtained mainly from [[sugar cane]] and [[sugar beet]]. [[Cooking oil]]s and [[margarine]] come from corn, [[soybean]], [[canola]], [[safflower]], [[sunflower]], [[olive]] and others. [[Food additives]] include [[gum arabic]], [[guar gum]], [[locust bean gum]], [[starch]] and [[pectin]].

===Nonfood products===

[[Wood]] is used for buildings, furniture, paper, cardboard, musical instruments and sports equipment. Cloth is often made from [[cotton]], [[flax]] or synthetic fibers derived from [[cellulose]], such as [[rayon]] and [[acetate]]. Renewable fuels from plants include [[firewood]], [[peat]] and many other [[biofuel]]s. [[Coal]] and [[petroleum]] are fossil fuels derived from plants. Medicines derived from plants include [[aspirin]], [[taxol]], [[morphine]], [[quinine]], [[reserpine]], [[colchicine]], [[digitalis]] and [[vincristine]]. There are hundreds of herbal supplements such as [[ginkgo]], [[Echinacea]], [[feverfew]], and [[Saint John's wort]]. Pesticides derived from plants include [[nicotine]], [[rotenone]], [[strychnine]] and [[pyrethrin]]s. Illegal drugs from plants include [[opium]], [[cocaine]] and [[marijuana]]. Poisons from plants include [[ricin]], [[Conium|hemlock]] and [[curare]]. Plants are the source of many natural products such as fibers, essential oils, dyes, pigments, waxes, tannins, latex, gums, resins, alkaloids, amber and cork. Products derived from plants include soaps, paints, shampoos, perfumes, cosmetics, turpentine, rubber, varnish, lubricants, linoleum, plastics, inks, chewing gum and hemp rope. Plants are also a primary source of basic chemicals for the industrial synthesis of a vast array of organic chemicals.

===Aesthetic uses===

Thousands of plant species are cultivated to beautify the human environment as well as to provide shade, modify temperatures, reduce windspeed, abate noise, provide privacy and prevent soil erosion. People use cut flowers, dried flowers and house plants indoors. Outdoors, they use lawngrasses, shade trees, ornamental trees, shrubs, vines, herbaceous perennials and bedding plants. Images of plants are often used in art, architecture, humor, [[Language of flowers|language]] and photography and on textiles, money, stamps, flags and coats of arms. Living plant art forms include [[topiary]], [[bonsai]], [[ikebana]] and [[espalier]]. [[Ornamental plant]]s have sometimes changed the course of history, as in [[tulipomania]]. Plants are the basis of a multi-billion dollar per year tourism industry which includes travel to [[arboretum]]s, [[botanical garden]]s, [[garden tourism|historic gardens]], [[national park]]s, [[tulip festival]]s, [[rainforests]], [[forest]]s with colorful autumn leaves and the [[National Cherry Blossom Festival]]. Venus flytrap, [[sensitive plant]] and [[resurrection plant]] are examples of plants sold as novelties.

===Scientific and cultural uses===

[[Tree rings]] are an important method of dating in archeology and serve as a record of past climates. Basic biological research has often been done with plants, such as the pea plants used to derive [[Gregor Mendel]]'s laws of genetics. Space stations or space colonies may one day rely on plants for [[Controlled Ecological Life Support System|life support]]. Plants are used as [[National emblem|national]] and state emblems, including [[List of U.S. state trees|state trees]] and [[state flowers]]. Ancient trees are revered and many are [[List of famous trees|famous]]. Numerous world records are held by plants. Plants are often used as memorials, gifts and to mark special occasions such as births, deaths, weddings and holidays. Plants figure prominently in [[Trees in mythology|mythology]], religion and [[List of fictional plants|literature]]. The field of [[ethnobotany]] studies plant use by indigenous cultures which helps to conserve endangered species as well as discover new [[herbalism|medicinal plants]]. [[Gardening]] is the most popular leisure activity in the U.S. Working with plants or [[horticulture therapy]] is beneficial for rehabilitating people with disabilities.

===Negative effects===

[[Weed]]s are plants that grow where people do not want them to grow. They cause billions of dollars in crop losses annually. People have spread plants far beyond their native ranges. Many introduced plants are [[invasive species|invasive]] in areas where they are not native. Invasive plants are often major weeds. They also crowd out native species and damage or destroy existing ecosystems. Many people suffer from [[hay fever]] caused by pollen allergies. A wide variety of plants are [[List of poisonous plants|poisonous]]. Several plants cause skin irritations when touched, especially [[poison ivy]]. Use of [[tobacco]] products are a major cause of several diseases such as [[lung cancer]] and [[heart disease]].

==Growth==

It is a common misconception that most of the solid material in a plant is taken from the soil, when in fact almost all of it is actually taken from the atmosphere. Through a process known as [[photosynthesis]], plants use the energy in [[sunlight]] to convert carbon dioxide from the atmosphere into simple [[sugars]]. These sugars are then used as building blocks and form the main structural component of the plant. Plants rely on soil primarily for water (in quantitative terms), but also obtain [[nitrogen]], [[phosphorus]] and other crucial elemental nutrients. For the majority of plants to grow successfully they also require oxygen in the atmosphere (for respiration in the dark) and oxygen around their roots. A few specialised vascular plants, such as [[Mangrove]]s, can however grow with their roots in anoxic conditions

[[Image:Spines on blackberry.jpg|thumb|250px|Some plants grow special defence measures such as the prickles on a [[blackberry]]]]

Simple plants like algae may have short life spans as individuals, but their populations are commonly seasonal. Other plants may be organized according to their seasonal growth pattern:

* [[Annual plant|Annual]]: live and reproduce within one growing season.

* [[Biennial plant|Biennial]]: live for two growing seasons; usually reproduce in second year.

* [[Perennial plant|Perennial]]: live for many growing seasons; continue to reproduce once mature.

Among the vascular plants, perennials include both [[evergreen]]s that keep their leaves the entire year, and [[deciduous]] plants which lose their leaves for some part. In [[temperate]] and [[boreal]] climates, they generally lose their leaves during the winter; many [[tropical]] plants lose their leaves during the dry season.

The growth rate of plants is extremely variable. Some mosses grow less than 0.001 mm/h, while most trees grow 0.025-0.250 mm/h. Some climbing species, such as [[kudzu]], which do not need to produce thick supportive tissue, may grow up to 12.5 mm/h.

Plants protect themselves from [[frost]] and [[dehydration]] stress with [[antifreeze protein]]s, [[Heat shock protein|heat-shock proteins]] and sugars ([[sucrose]] is common). LEA (Late [[Embryogenesis]] Abundant) protein expression is induced by stresses and protects other proteins from aggregation as a result of [[desiccation]] and [[freezing]]<ref>{{cite journal | author=Goyal K, Walton LJ, Tunnacliffe A | title=LEA proteins prevent protein aggregation due to water stress | journal=BIOCHEMICAL JOURNAL | year=2005 | volume=388 | issue=Part&nbsp;1 | pages=151&ndash;157 |url=http://www.biochemj.org/bj/388/0151/bj3880151.htm | id=PMID 15631617}}</ref>.

==Ecological relationships==

[[Image:Nepenthes villosa.jpg|thumb|''[[Nepenthes villosa]]'', a species of [[carnivorous plant]]]]

The [[photosynthesis]] conducted by land plants and algae is the ultimate source of energy and organic material in nearly all ecosystems. Photosynthesis radically changed the composition of the early Earth's atmosphere, which as a result is now 21% oxygen. Animals and most other organisms are aerobic, relying on oxygen; those that do not are confined to relatively rare anaerobic environments. Plants are the [[Autotroph|primary producers]] in most terrestrial ecosystems and form the basis of the [[food web]] in those ecosystems. Many animals rely on plants for shelter as well as oxygen and food.

Land plants are key components of the [[water cycle]] and several other [[biogeochemical cycle]]s. Some plants have [[coevolve]]d with [[nitrogen fixation|nitrogen fixing]] bacteria, making plants an important part of the [[nitrogen cycle]]. Plant roots play an essential role in [[soil]] development and prevention of [[soil erosion]]. The Earth's [[biome]]s are named for the type of vegetation because plants are the dominant organisms in biomes.

Numerous animals have coevolved with plants. Many animals [[pollinate]] [[flower]]s in exchange for food in the form of pollen or [[nectar]]. Many animals [[biological dispersal|disperse seeds]], often by eating [[fruit]] and passing the seeds in their feces. [[Myrmecophyte]]s are plants that have coevolved with [[ant]]s. The plant provides a home, and sometimes food, for the ants. In exchange, the ants defend the plant from [[herbivore]]s and sometimes competing plants. Ant wastes provide organic [[fertilizer]].

The majority of plant species have various kinds of fungi associated with their root systems in a kind of [[mutualistic]] [[symbiosis]] known as [[mycorrhiza]]. The fungi help the plants gain water and mineral nutrients from the soil, while the plant gives the fungi carbohydrates manufactured in photosynthesis. Some plants serve as homes for [[endophyte|endophytic]] fungi that protect the plant from herbivores by producing toxins. The fungal endophyte, ''Neotyphodium coenophialum'', in tall fescue (''Festuca arundinacea'') does tremendous economic damage to the cattle industry in the U.S.

Various forms of parasitism are also fairly common among plants, from the semi-parasitic [[mistletoe]] that merely takes some nutrients from its host, but still has photosynthetic leaves, to the fully parasitic [[broomrape]] and [[toothwort]] that acquire all their nutrients through connections to the roots of other plants, so have no chlorophyll. Some plants, known as [[myco-heterotrophs]], parasitize mycorrhizal fungi, and hence act as [[epiparasites]] on other plants.

Many plants are [[epiphyte]]s, meaning they grow on other plants, usually trees, without parasitizing them. Epiphytes may indirectly harm their host plant by intercepting mineral nutrients and light that the host would otherwise receive. The weight of large numbers of epiphytes may break tree limbs. Many [[orchid]]s, [[bromeliad]]s, [[fern]]s and [[moss]]es often grow as epiphytes. Bromeliad epiphytes accumulate water in leaf axils to form phytotelmata, complex aquatic food webs.<ref>Bromeliad Phytotelmata[http://bromeliadbiota.ifas.ufl.edu/bromfit.htm]</ref>

A few plants are [[carnivorous plant|carnivorous]], such as the [[Venus Flytrap]] and [[sundew]]. They trap small animals and digest them to obtain mineral nutrients, especially nitrogen.

== Fossils ==

Plant [[fossil]]s include roots, wood, leaves, seeds, fruit, [[pollen]], [[spores]], [[phytolith]]s, and [[amber]] (the fossilized resin produced by some plants). Fossil land plants are recorded in terrestrial, lacustrine, fluvial and nearshore marine sediments. [[Pollen]], [[spores]] and algae ([[dinoflagellates]] and [[acritarchs]]) are used for dating sedimentary rock sequences. The remains of fossil plants are not as common as fossil animals, although plant fossils are locally abundant in many regions worldwide.

Early fossils of these ancient plants show the individual cells within the plant tissue. The [[Devonian period]] also saw the evolution of what many believe to be the first modern tree, ''[[Archaeopteris]]''. This fern-like tree combined a woody trunk with the fronds of a fern, but produced no seeds.

[[Image:Fossil Plant Ginkgo.jpg|left|thumb|Fossil [[Ginkgo]] leaves from the Jurassic of England]]

The [[Coal Measures]] are a major source of [[Palaeozoic]] plant fossils, with many groups of plants in existence at this time. The spoil heaps of coal mines are the best places to collect; [[coal]] itself is the remains of fossilised plants, though structural detail of the plant fossils is rarely visible in coal. In the Fossil Forest at Victoria Park in [[Glasgow]], [[Scotland]], the stumps of ''[[Lepidodendron]]'' trees are found in their original growth positions.

The fossilized remains of conifer and angiosperm roots, stems and branches may be locally abundant in lake and inshore sedimentary rocks from the [[Mesozoic]] and [[Caenozoic]] eras. [[Coast Redwood|Sequoia]] and its allies, [[magnolia]], [[oak]], and [[Arecaceae|palms]] are often found.

[[Petrified wood]] is common in some parts of the world, and is most frequently found in arid or desert areas where it is more readily exposed by [[erosion]]. Petrified wood is often heavily silicified (the organic material replaced by [[silicon dioxide]]), and the impregnated tissue is often preserved in fine detail. Such specimens may be cut and polished using [[lapidary]] equipment. Fossil forests of petrified wood have been found in all continents.

Fossils of seed ferns such as ''[[Glossopteris]]'' are widely distributed throughout several continents of the [[southern hemisphere]], a fact that gave support to [[Alfred Wegener]]'s early ideas regarding [[Continental drift]] theory.

==Internal Distribution==

{{section-stub}}

[[Nutrient]]s from the soil are distributed to specific areas in the plant through vessels, for example to the leaves to conduct [[photosynthesis]]. Also the [[glucose]] produced during [[photosynthesis]] is distributed around the plant to give the plant energy to keep growing and [[seeding]].

==External Distribution==

{{section-stub}}

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Plants are found in varying quantities around the world... According to biomes they inhabit different areas while few if any can be found beyond the tundras at the northermost of continental shelves. At the southern extremes it adapts tenaciously but hardly survives... (Please, correct and enhance this entry, I think it's appropriate to have this info here, but I know no details, so, I've written this to get the attention of any one able to improve my attempt to mention how plants have succeeded and influence vast regions up to it's own limitations, I wanted to mention about arctic vegetation, but I know not if there is such and, well, it would be unfair to mention the cactus and it's existence in deserts without mentioning other plants)

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== References and further reading ==

<references />

</div>

* Species estimate and counts:

**Prance, G. T. (2001). Discovering the Plant World. ''Taxon'' 50: 345-359.

**International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) Species Survival Commission (2004). IUCN Red List of Threatened Species [http://www.redlist.org].

**Both the above are cited in ''Nature Conservancy'', Spring 2006, p. 14.

* Kenrick, Paul & Crane, Peter R. (1997). ''The Origin and Early Diversification of Land Plants: A Cladistic Study''. Washington, D. C.: Smithsonian Institution Press. ISBN 1-56098-730-8.

* Raven, Peter H., Evert, Ray F., & Eichhorn, Susan E. (2005). ''Biology of Plants'' (7th ed.). New York: W. H. Freeman and Company. ISBN 0-7167-1007-2.

* Taylor, Thomas N. & Taylor, Edith L. (1993). ''The Biology and Evolution of Fossil Plants''. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall. ISBN 0-13-651589-4.

* Evans, L. T. (1998). ''Feeding the Ten Billion - Plants and [[Population]] Growth''. Cambridge University Press. Paperback, 247 pages. ISBN 0-521-64685-5.

* Trewavas, A. (2003). [http://aob.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/full/92/1/1 Aspects of Plant Intelligence], ''Annals of Botany'' 92: 1-20.

==See also==

* [[Biosphere]]

* [[Botany]]

* [[Flower]]

* [[Forest]]

* [[Fruit]]

* [[Garden]]

* [[Gardening]]

* [[Houseplant]]

* [[Photosynthesis]]

* [[Plant cell]]

* [[Plant defense against herbivory]]

* [[Prehistoric plant]]s

* [[Rapid plant movement]]

* [[Tree]]

* [[Vegetable]]

* [[Vegetation]]

==External links==

*[http://www.mikethemouth.com/ Official site]

{{Portal|Botany}}

*[http://www.matusowtruth.blogspot.com/ Official blog]

{{sisterlinks|Plant}}

*[http://www.worldpokertour.com/players/?x=profile&poker-player=8526 World Poker Tour profile]

{{Wikispecies|Plantae}}

*[http://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/player.php?a=r&n=170 Hendon Mob tournament results]

{{Wikibookspar|Dichotomous Key|Plantae}}

*[http://www.myspace.com/mouthpoker Official Myspace]

* [http://tolweb.org/tree?group=Green_plants&contgroup=Eukaryotes Tree of Life]

* {{cite journal | quotes=no|author=Chaw, S.-M. et al.|url=http://mbe.library.arizona.edu/data/1997/1401/7chaw.pdf|title=Molecular Phylogeny of Extant Gymnosperms and Seed Plant Evolution: Analysis of Nuclear 18s rRNA Sequences|journal=Molec. Biol. Evol.|volume=14|issue=1|pages=56-68|year=1997}}

* [http://florabase.calm.wa.gov.au/phylogeny/cronq88.html Interactive Cronquist classification]

===Botanical and vegetation databases===

* [http://www.efloras.org/index.aspx e-Floras (Flora of China, Flora of North America and others)]

* [http://plants.usda.gov/ United States of America]

* [http://rbg-web2.rbge.org.uk/FE/fe.html Flora Europaea]

* [http://www.anbg.gov.au/cpbr/databases/ Australia]

* [http://www.chilebosque.cl Chilean plants at ''Chilebosque'']

[[Category:Plants| ]]

[[Category:Plant taxonomy]]

{{World Series of Poker Tournament of Champions Winners}}

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[[afde:PlantaeMike Matusow]]

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