1. Nonvascular Plants

2. Most primitive type of plants 3 phyla Together referred to as bryophytes Seedless – produce spores Since they don’t have vascular tissue – they don’t grow to be very tall Water is necessary for their sexual reproduction The sperm have to be able to swim to the egg

3. Phylum Bryophyta “The Mosses” What we typically think of is the gametophyte Held to the ground by rhizoids Function like roots even though they aren’t vascular Gametophytes can be male, female or both Moss sporophytes are here (see picture)

4. Phylum Bryophyta “Pioneer Plants” – create a layer of soil for other plants to grow (Sound familiar?) Help prevent soil erosion – cover soil surface to absorb water Example: Peat Moss – genus Sphagnum

5. Phylum Hepatophyta The Liverworts All grow close to the ground Allows them to absorb water readily Gametophyte is covered by an umbrella shaped structure in some species Leafy liverwort: Leaf like structures growing on a stem Thalloid liverwort: Flat thin lobes

6. Phylum Anthocerophyta The Hornworts Long horn like sporophytes that grow out from the top of the plant Anchored to the ground by rhizoids Similar to algae: have a single large chloroplast rather then many

7. Phylum Anthocerophyta Hornworts are the closest to vascular plants The Sporophytes show evidence of evolution Carry out photosynthesis Have a cuticle and stomata Tubelike cells at the center resemble vascular tissue