Bryophytes: The word Bryophyta arises from the word ‘Bryon’, and the study of this is called bryology. In-plant kingdom, bryophytes are non-vascular land plants that grow in damp environments. In these plants, reproduction occurs via spores; therefore, it does not have true vascular tissue. Bryophyte plants can survive without water, and they become alive after coming in contact with water.

Definition of Bryophytes

“Bryophyta are the type of non-flowering plant species that reproduce via spores and these are non-vascular (do not produce roots, leaves or stem)”

Bryophytes are also called amphibians of the plant kingdom because these plants can live in soil but are dependent on water for sexual reproduction. They usually occur in damp, humid and shaded localities. They play an important role in plant succession on bare rocks/soil.

The plant body of bryophytes is more differentiated than that of algae. It is thallus-like and prostrate or erect, and attached to the substratum by unicellular or multicellular rhizoids. They lack true roots, stem or leaves. They may possess root-like, leaf-like or stem-like structures. The main plant body of the bryophyte is haploid. It produces gametes, hence is called a gametophyte. The sex organs in bryophytes are multicellular. The male sex organ is called antheridium. They produce biflagellate antherozoids. The female sex organ called archegonium is flask-shaped and produces a single egg. The antherozoids are released into water where they come in contact with archegonium. An antherozoid fuses with the egg to produce the zygote. Zygotes do not undergo reduction division immediately. They produce a multicellular body called a sporophyte. The sporophyte is not free-living but attached to the photosynthetic gametophyte and derives nourishment from it. Some cells of the sporophyte undergo reduction division (meiosis) to produce haploid spores. These spores germinate to produce gametophyte.

The Characteristics of Bryophytes in plant kingdom is as follows:

• They majorly grow on rocks, walls, and damp soil.
• The body type is free-living and does not contain any roots.
• They reproduce by following methods:
  • Vegetative reproduction by tubers, buds, and fragmentation
  • Asexual reproduction is through gammae, a specialized reproduction structure.
  • Sexual reproduction is between males (antheridium) and females (archegonium)

Major Groups of Bryophytes

• Ferns- Ferns cannot produce speeds, but they have vascular tissues.
• Gymnosperms –They are called conifers in which vascular tissues are present. They cannot produce flowers despite producing cones and sees.
• Bryophytes are non-flowering plants and don’t have a vascular system like mosses.
• Angiosperms are flowering plants with vascular tissue that produce both flowers and seeds. There are two groups of flowering plants -monocots and dicots. Seed of monocots have one cotyledon, but dicot seeds have two cotyledons.

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By Team Learning Mantras