Bryophytes Go to fullsize image · 2018-09-10 · plants have . no roots, only filamentous ....

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Bryophytes

Bryophytes are nonvascular plant; examples are mosses and their

relatives.

WHERE THEY ARE FOUND

THRIVE IN WET ENVIRONMENTS OR IN

AREAS WHERE THERE IS LOTS OF

RAINFALL AT LEAST PART OF THE YEAR

SWAMPS

MARSHES

NEAR STREAMS,

RAINFORESTS

ALONG THE WEST COAST OF BC & STATES

Unique to Bryophytes

have no lignin

usually

are small, low-

lying, (generally)

moisture-loving

plants

have no roots,

only filamentous

rhizoids

THE ONLY LAND PLANTS WITH A DOMINANT

GAMETOPHYTE! The sporophyte is parasitic on the

gametophyte. This stems from the embryo being retained

in the female sex organ of the gametophyte.

Groups of bryophytes

Bryophytes included mosses, liverworts, and

hornworts.

Mosses Liverworts Hornworts

SCARCER THAN MOSSES

NEED TO LIVE IN

PLACES THAT ARE

CONSTANTLY WET

LOOK LIKE FLAT

LEAVES GROWING

ALONG THE GROUND

LIVERWORTS

HORNWORT

LOOK LIKE GAMETOPHYTE OF LIVERWORT

SPOROPHYTE LOOKS LIKE

A HORN

BRYOPHYTES LACK SEVERAL

CRITICAL ADAPTATIONS TO

DRY PLACES

LACK WATER CONDUCTING TUBES

IN BRYOPHYTES, WATER PASSES FROM CELL TO CELL BY OSMOSIS & BY

MEANS OF SURFACE TENSION AROUND THE STEMS

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?

WHAT ELSE?

BRYOPHYTES LACK PROTECTIVE SURFACE COVERING TO

KEEP WATER FROM EVAPORTAING FROM THEIR CELLS

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?

THERE IS MORE

THEY LACK TRUE ROOTS

ROOTS CONTAIN WATER CONDUCTING TUBES THAT

ENABLE A PLANT TO ABSORB AND TRANSPORT WATER

EFFICIENTLY

THEY HAVE RHIZOIDS INSTEAD

WHAT IS THEIR FUNCTION?

During at least one stage of their life cycle, bryophytes produce sperm that must swim through water to reach eggs of other individuals.

Therefore, they must live in places where there is rainfall or dew for at least part of the year

Role of Bryophytes

Many are pioneer plants, growing on bare rock and contributing to soil development.

In bogs and mountain forests they form a thick carpet, reducing erosion.

In forest ecosystems they act like a sponge retaining and slowly releasing water

They provide habitat for other plants and small animals as well as microorganisms like N2-fixing blue-green bacteria

Lacking a cuticle and transport tissue they readily absorb whatever is around them and can serve as bio-indicators of pollution and environmental degradation

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