Which type of plants are characterized by tissues that transport water and nutrients throughout the plant?

Vascular plants are characterized by the presence of specialized tissues that facilitate the transport of water, nutrients, and food throughout the plant. These tissues include xylem, which transports water and dissolved minerals from the roots to other parts of the plant, and phloem, which distributes the sugars and nutrients produced during photosynthesis. This vascular system allows these plants to grow larger and survive in a variety of environments by efficiently managing the movement of resources.

In contrast, nonvascular plants lack such specialized tissues, which limits their size and the types of habitats they can occupy. Flowering plants are a subgroup of vascular plants that produce flowers and seeds, but not all vascular plants are flowering. Similarly, seedless plants can include both vascular (like ferns) and nonvascular types, but they do not define the vascular characteristic. Therefore, the defining feature of vascular plants is indeed the presence of transport tissues, making them the correct answer in relation to the question asked.