Plants Without Seeds Chapter 8 Section 2

Nonvascular Plants Three major groups of nonvascular plants Mosses Liverworts Hornworts

Characteristics of Nonvascular Plants Low-growing Live in moist environments Absorb water and other nutrients directly Watery surroundings enable sperm cells to swim to egg cells

Mosses 10,000 species Green, fuzzy moss is the gametophyte generation of the plant Rhizods: thin, rootlike structures that anchor the moss and absorb water and nutrients from the soil The sporophyte generation grows out of the gametophyte The sporophyte consists of a slender stalk with a capsule at the end The capsule contains spores

A moss Plant

Liverworts 8,000 species Often found growing as a thick crust on moist rocks or soil along the sides of a stream

Hornworts Fewer than 100 species Live in moist soil, often mixed in with grass plants

Seedless Vascular Plants Characteristics Ferns, club mosses and horsetails have true vascular tissue Do not produce seeds, these plants reproduce by releasing spores Can grow tall because vascular tissues effectively transport materials Provide strength and stability Grow in moist environments There must be enough water for the sperm to swim to the eggs

Ferns Stems of most ferns grow underground Fronds Fern leaves, divided into many smaller parts that look like small leaves The cuticle is found on the upper surface of each frond, helps retain plant water Tiny spore cases are found on the underside of the fronds

Horsetails Seedless, vascular plant Stems are jointed Long, coarse, needle-like branches Resemble a horse’s tail Silica Stem contains a gritty substance also found in sand

Club Mosses Seedless, vascular plant Not to be confused with moss Grow in moist woodlands and near streams