Plant Classification By: Chloe King

Bryophyta Common Name: Mosses Scientific Name: Bryophyta Group: Seedless nonvascular Characteristics: Small, low to the ground, no true leaves, and have rhizoids Habitat: Moist habitats, can live in harsh conditions  Reproduce: They rely on free-standing water to allow their sperm to swim to and fertilize eggs.  Examples: Goniomitrium acuminatum, Sphagnum wilfii , Papillaria haitensis  Interesting Info: Among the first plants to colonize in early stages of primary succession.   

Hepatophyta Common Name: Liverwort Scientific Name: Hepatophyta Group: Seedless nonvascular Characteristics: Thallose or leafy form, 2 mm to 25 cm Habitat: Damp environments Reproduce: Eggs are produced on umbrella-like structures. They rely on free-standing water to allow their sperm to swim to and fertilize eggs.  Examples: Porella platyphylla, Conocephalum conicum, and Riccia fluitans Interesting Info: Liverwort refers to thallose liverworts, which look like the lobes of a liver flat on the ground.

Anthocerophyta Common Name: Hornworts Scientific Name: Anthocerophyta Group: Seedless nonvascular Characteristics: grow low to the ground, flat body with little green horns Habitat: Tropical forests and along streams Reproduce: Little green horns rising above the flat plant body produces spores. They rely on free-standing water to allow their sperm to swim to and fertilize eggs.  Examples: Dendroceros crispus, Ceratophyllum demersum, and Schistochila appendiculata Interesting Info: New Zealand has the world’s longest leafy liverwort.

Lycophyta Common Name: Club Mosses Scientific Name: Lycophyta Group: Seedless vascular Characteristics: small, lack flowers, and grow off the ground Habitat: Lowland mixed forest and boggy areas Reproduce: Sexually by spores. Depends on water for reproduction. Examples: Lycopodium cernuum, Lycopodium volubile, and Lycopodium laterale Interesting Info: Not true mosses. They belong to the oldest living group of vascular plants.

Pterophyta Common Name: Ferns Scientific Name: Pterophyta Group: Seedless vascular Characteristics: Lack true roots and leaves and have large leaves called fronds Habitat: Tropics and subtropics Reproduce: Depends on water for reproduction. Examples: Staghorn Fern, Boston Fern, and Lady Fern Interesting Info: Has 12,000 species today,

Cycadophyta Common Name: Cycads Scientific Name: Cycadophyta Group: Cone-bearing seed Characteristics: Look like palm trees and large leaves Habitat: Tropical areas in Americas, Asia, Africa, and Australia  Reproduce: Reproduce without free-standing water. Seeds nourish and protect plant embryos. Seeds allow plants to disperse to new places.  Examples: Sea Sago, Royal Sago, and King Sago Interesting Info: Many cycads species are endangered due to their slow growth and loss of habitat

Ginkophyta Common Name: Ginkgo Scientific Name: Ginkgophyta Group: Cone-bearing seed Characteristics: Fan-shaped leaves and branches with numerous shoots Habitat: China Reproduce: Reproduce without free-standing water. Seeds nourish and protect plant embryos. Seeds allow plants to disperse to new places.  Example: Ginko biloba Interesting Info: The oldest loving species of seed plants. It's used in urban landscaping. 

Coniferophyta Common Name: Conifers Scientific Name: Coniferophyta Group: Cone-bearing seed Characteristics: needlelike leaves Habitat: High altitudes, mountains  Reproduce: Reproduce without free-standing water. Seeds nourish and protect plant embryos. Seeds allow plants to disperse to new places.  Examples: Pines, redwood, spruce, cedar, fir, and juniper Interesting Info: They supply most of the timber for paper, cardboard, housing lumber, and plywood

Anthophyta Examples: Prickly pear, Water lily, Dwarf mistletoe Common Name: Flowering plants Scientific Name: Anthophyta Group: Flowering seed Characteristics: broad leaves, have pollen, and has flower Habitat: Adapt to most environments  Reproduce: Flowers protect a plants gametes and fertilized eggs. Fruit is the mature ovary of a flower.  Examples: Prickly pear, Water lily, Dwarf mistletoe Interesting Info: They comprise about 90 percent of the Kingdom Plantae