Seedless Plants Chapter 9 Section 2

Nonvascular Plants Very small plants that have rhizoids rather than ROOTS.

Nonvascular plants Water is absorbed and distributed directly through cell membranes and CELL WALLS. Grow in DAMP environments Reproduce by SPORES rather than seeds

Examples Mosses – green, leaflike growths arranged around a central stalk Liverworts – flattened, leaflike bodies Hornworts – have only one choloroplast in each of their cells

Mosses

Liverworts

Hornworts

Nonvascular Plants Frequently pioneer species – organisms that are the first to grow in new or disturbed areas and which change ENVIRONMENT conditions

Seedless Vascular Plants Reproduce by spores, but have VASCULAR tissue that carries water and nutrients throughout the plants

Seedless Vascular Plants Can grow BIGGER and THICKER than nonvascular plants FERNS – largest group of seedless vascular plants

Ferns Have stems, leaves, and ROOTS LEAVES are called fronds Reproduce by SPORES found on the back of their fronds

Club Mosses Needlike leaves

Horsetails Jointed stem with a HOLLOW center

Importance of seedless plants Fuel – decaying seedless plants are compressed into peat and eventually COAL. Soil conditioners FERNS can be used for weaving material and basketry