1. Seedless Vascular Plants Ferns & Lycophytes
Chapter 23

2. Seedless Vascular Plants
2 Groups
Ferns
Whisk Ferns
Horsetails
Lycophytes
Club Mosses
Spike Mosses
Quillworts

3. Evolution from Bryophytes to Seedless Vascular Plants
Development of Vascular Tissue
Xylem – conducts water and dissolved minerals
Phloem – conducts dissolved sugar
Vascular tissue allows for taller plants
Dominant sporophyte generation
Reproduction still depends on water to transport sperm
Evolution of True Leaves

4. Evolution of True Leaves
2 Types of True Leaves
Microphylls
Type of leaf found in lycophytes
Contains one vascular strand
Megaphylls
Type of leaf found in ferns, horsetails, and seed plants
Contains multiple vascular strands (branched)
Probably evolved from the webbing of side branches

5. Evolution of True Leaves

6. Ferns Phylum Pteridophyta Remember: “I’m Terrified of Ferns”
Seedless - Reproduce by spores produced in sporangia
Spores are homosporous
Give rise to bisexual gametophytes
Vascular
Undergo alternation of generations
Dominant Sporophyte Generation
Gametophyte generation (prothallus)
Includes ferns, whisk ferns, and horsetails

7. Ferns
An ancient group of plants
Very diverse group

8. Parts of a Fern Rhizome – horizontal underground stem
Frond- megaphyll leaf
Fiddlehead – young, tightly coiled frond
Sporangia – spore cases
Sori – clusters of sporangia on bottom side of frond
6th hr left off here!

9. Fiddleheads

10. Sori

11. Fern Life Cycle

12. Prothallus – Fern Gametophyte

13. Whisk Ferns
Exhibit Dichotomous branching
Genera: Psilophyta

14. Horsetails Have hollow, jointed stems Stems contain silica
Wet, marshy habitats
Genera: Equisetophyta
2nd Hour Left off Here!

15. Lycophytes Phylum Lycopodiophyta
Remember: “I Like-o-Fight with Clubs & Spikes, & go for the Quill”
Seedless – Reproduce by spores
Spores can be heterosporous
2 types of n spores –
megaspores (form a female gametophyte)
microspores (form a male gametophyte)
Vascular
Dominant Sporophyte generation
Includes Club Mosses, Spike Mosses, & Quillworts
6th Hour left off here

16. 3 Groups of Lycophytes Club Moss True roots
Rhizomes & erect or trailing aerial stems
Small, scale-like microphyll leaves
1st Hour
1st Hour Left off Here

17. 3 Groups of Lycophytes 2. Spike Moss Long, creeping rhizomes
Typically branch dichotomously
Roots branch dichotomously
Overlapping, scale-like microphylls
2nd Hour Left off here!
Resurrection Plant

18. 3 Groups of Lycophytes 3. Quillwort Underground corm
A short, swollen underground stem
Cylindrical, quill-like microphyll leafs
Roots

19. Ecological & Economic Impacts
Ferns & Lycophytes
Help form soil
Prevent soil erosion
Branching underground rhizomes and roots or rhizoids hold soil in place
Coal deposits
Formed by remains of ancient ferns
Powered Industrial Revolution of 19th Century
Used today to produce electricity