1. Nonvascular (Hepatophyta, Bryophyta, Anthocerotyphyta)

2. Nonvascular Plants
Definition: Any of various plants that lack vascular tissue; a bryophyte
Around 25,000 species of bryophytes all together
Bryophytes used to be all the different types of nonvascular plants now it just includes moss
Hepatophyta includes liverworts
Anthocerotophyta includes hornworts
Nonvascular plants are plants that do not use a system of vessels to transport water and nutrients between different parts of the plant

3. Bryophytes
They don’t produce seeds of flowers-reach a size of one to two centimeters-fossils show that plants evoled during four distinct periods
(Mosses)

4. Classifications There are 8 classes of moss Takakiopsida Sphagnopsida
Andreaeopsida
Andreaeobryopsidea
Oedipodiopsida
Polytrichopsida
Tetraphidopsida
Bryopsida

5. Important Facts Approximately 12,000 species of moss
Mosses are nonvascular and do not have roots meaning that then need moist environments so that water can be absorbed directly into the cells of the gameophyte
In northern latitudes, the north side of trees and rocks will have more moss than others
In the south, it’s the opposite
Fossil records of moss are sparse
Recovered as early as the Permian in Antarctica and Russia
A moss plant body has no roots and has tiny cellular threads that serve as anchors
The structures on moss look like a leaf although the "leaves" of the moss are only thin sheets of cells, usually a single layer
The leaf like structures will curl up and dry out when water is unavailable and then revives when they obtain water
Obtain energy through photosynthesis
Because of the lack of sufficient water for reproduction on the sun-facing side of trees
In deep forests where there is no sunlight moss will grow equally on both sides
Due to their soft-walled and fragile nature-

6. Description Small, soft plants usually around 1-10 cm (0.4-4 in) tall
Commonly grow close together either in clumps or mats
Mostly in damp or shady locations
Produce spore capsules that may appear as beak-like capsules on thin stalks
Are distinguished by their multicellular rhizoids
Rhizoids-structure that functions like a root in support or absorption
But certain species can be much larger

7. Life Cycle Begins with a haploid spore
Spore germinates to produce a protonema
Protonema is either a mass of thread-like filaments of flat
Usually looks like a thin green felt and mainly grows on stable surfaces
damp soil, tree bark, rocks, concrete or other
From the protonema grows the gametophore
(gamete-bearer)
A single mat of protonemata can develop several gametophores which is what causes clumps of moss
The tips of the gametophore stems or branches develop sex organs
Female organs (archegonia)-small flask-shaped clumps of cells with an open neck that the male sperm swims down
Male organs (antheridia)-enclosed by modified leaves called perigonium
Mosses can either be dioicous or monoicous

8. Life Cycle 2
Diocious- Male and female sex organs are on different gametophyte plants
Monoicous or autoicous- both male and female sex organs are on the same plant
When there is water, the sperm swim from the antheridia to the archegonia and fertilization occurs creating a diploid sporophyte
Sperm has two flagellae the aid in propulsion
The immature sporophyte pushes its way out the archegonial venter
Takes about a quarter to half a year for the sporophyte to mature
The sporophyte then develops a capsul and a operculum which are then sheathed by the remaing archegonial venter
Inside the capsule, spore producing cells undergo meiosis
to form haploid spores so the process can start over again

9. Life Cycle Diagram

10. Asexual Reproduction
In some kinds of moss such as Ulota phyllantha, leaves or bits of the stem which break off and form new plants without fertilization
This means all units are genetically identical
Asexually can also be called vegetatively

11. Habitat
Mosses are normally found in areas that are damp and have low amounts of light
Common in wooded areas and near streams
Also found in cracks in damp city streets
Some types of moss have adapted and are only found in cities
Some types of moss are completely aquatic
Inhabiting bogs, marshes, and slow moving waterways
Some types are semi-aquatics
Wherever mosses are they require moisture
Small size
Lack of tissue and cuticule
Need of liquid for fertilization
Most mosses live on land but some can live in fresh water

12. Why is moss important?
Supplies food and shelter for small animals and insects
Protect soil
Keeps slopes from washing away during severe weather or storms
Help form new soil
Acid produced from the moss softens the rock and the acid breaks down into soil and and the dead moss parts help larger plants have sufficient soil to grow

13. Anthocerotyphyta
(Hornworts)

14. Classifications
Leiosporocerotopsida
Anthicerotopsida

15. Description Get their name from their horn shaped pore capsule
Grow as a sheet of green tissue
Without sporophytes present they are
10 to 20 mm in length
Have no leaves or stem
Attached to ground by rhizoid
The plant body of a hornwort—the haploid gametophyte stage—usually grows thin rosette like or ribbon-like
Between one and five centimeters in diameter

16. Description Cont.
Each cell in a hornwort usually contains just one chloroplast
In most species of hornworts, the chloroplast is fused with other organelles to form a large pyrenoid
Pyrenoids are the centers of carbon dioxide fixation within the chloroplasts of algae and hornworts that both manufactures and stores food
The pyrenoids manufacture and store food
This is unusual in land plants, but very common in algae

17. Reproduction Reproduction in hornworts is the same as in moss
The spores germinate into protonema which grows into a gametophore
The gametophore then develops sex organs on the branches
The antheridia then swims down the archegonia and fertilization occurs
A diploid sporophyte then grows and the sporophyte develops a capsule with a spore inside
Inside the spore meiosis happens so the cycle can begin again

19. Habitat
Hornworts can be found worldwide, but they usually grow only in places that are damp or humid
Species can grow as weeds in gardens or fields
Large tropical or subtropical species such as Dendroceros can be found on trees
Hornworts are usually in the submersed plant community
Since they lack roots they can drift to various water levels to find nutrients
Tolerant of cool temperatures and low light levels

20. Hepatophyta
(Liverworts)

21. Classifications Marchantiopsida Jungermanniopsida
Haplomitriopsida-newly recognized class

22. Important Facts 6000 to 8000 species
Some species grow flattened and leafless called thallus
Many thallus liverworts live on the surface of water
Most species however grow in a leafy form
The first liverworts were found 400,000,000 years ago during the Devonian Era
Named a liverwort because the people that found them felt that the arrangement of cells on the surface was similar to cells from actual animal livers

23. Description Small, ranging from 2-20 mm
A flat, branching ribbon shaped plant that resembles the lobes of a liver
Many different shapes of liverwort leaves: undivided, variously-lobed, divided into hair-like segments, or two lobes of unequal size
Often used as indicators of the habitat condition
Any change in water, soil and/or air quality, due to pollution or other factors, will have an impact on bryophyte growth

24. Asexual Reproduction
Certain species of liverworts produce vegetatively
Liverworts contain bowl-shaped structures call cupule
Cupule holds gemmae which looks like little green eggs
Raindrops splash gemmae onto the ground
If the gemmae lands in a hospitable environment then it will develop rhizoids and produce liverworts

25. Reproduction Same as moss and hornworts
Archegonial receptacle from below with capsules filled with spores
Spores will be released and if the conditions are right then the spores will germinate

26. Life Cycle of Liverworts

27. Habitat Mainly in deeply shaded, moist areas
Such as under shrubs or plants
Most common in the Northern Hemisphere
Must be moist and have a source of water
Some liverworts are aquatic and can live on the surface of water
Desert species can tolerate direct sunlight and total desiccation

28. Works Cited