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Topic 12: Free-Sporing Plants(Bryophytes & Pteridophytes)

Hoefnagels (2018) Section 19.2‐19.3 (p. 384‐387)Hardy & Wagner (2018) Bryophytes & Pteridophytes.

Optional: Rushforth et al. (2016). Chap6 (Bryophytes) & Chap 7 (Seedless Vascular Plants)

“Leafy” “Thalloid”

Dichotomously branched

Pores and polygonal air

chambers

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Pores and polygonal air

chambersGemmae cups

Antheridia on Antheridiophores

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© Karen Renzaglia.

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Leafy Liverwort

gametophyte

Sporophyte

Leafy Liverwort

gametophyte

Sporophyte

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Phyllids on simple axis

Archegonia atop female

Antheridia atop male

Sporophytes atop female

gameotphytes.

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A. Rhyniophytes

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B. Lycopods (e.g., club-mosses, spike-mosses)

• Extant• Microphylls & roots• Rhizomatous• Dichotomously branched• Sporangia axillary or on sporophylls

Lycopodium (ground-pine)

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Huperzia (shining-firmoss)

C. Horsetails & Scouring-Rushes

• Extant• Microphylls (reduced from macrophylls) & roots• Rhizomatous• Ribbed stems & hollow internodes• Whorled phyllotaxy• Lateral branching (interaxillary)• Sporangia in strobili

D. Ferns• Roots

• Stem usually short and rhizomatous

• Macrophyll leaves; alternate and in rosette; often pinnate, circinate vernation.

• Branching various

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D. Ferns• Leptosporangium

annulus

stalk

Jacket enclosing spores

D. Ferns• Leptosporangium

D. Ferns

• Sporangia in sori (singular, sorus) on abaxial leaf surface.

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D. Ferns

• Sori naked or indusiate.

D. Ferns

• Sori naked or indusiate.

E. Ancient Coal Swamps

• Carboniferous period (359-299 mya)

E. Ancient Coal Swamps

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Pteridophyte swamps. What good were these?

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Formation of Pangea• Destroyed much free-sporing habitat• Created dryer environment more conducive to seed plants• Seed plants better trees (with eustele & wood)

Surviving Free-sporing plants• Small and relegated to moister habitats