1. Seedless Vascular Plants
Plants with a vascular system
but no seeds

2. Seedless Vascular Plants
Phylum Pterophyta
Phylum Lycophyta
Phylum Sphenophyta
Phylum Psilophyta

3. Phylum Pterophyta Ferns
11,000 species
habitat = wetlands, especially in tropics
dominant generation is the sporophyte plant

4. Phylum Pterophyta Ferns
Structures
vascular system =xylem and phloem
tracheids (water conducting cells) reinforced therefore can grow taller than non-vascular plants
roots, stems (rhizomes)
leaves (fronds)
fiddleheads= coiled baby fronds

5. Phylum Pterophyta Ferns
Reproduction
Alternation of generations
Dependent on water for sperm to swim to egg
use spores to reproduce
reproductive spores in sporangia, on undersides of fronds
Clusters of sporangia = sori (singular = sorus)

6. Fern Life Cycle
gametophytes are small, flat and independent (bearded heart)
gametophyte dies as sporophyte grows
gametophyte
sporophyte

7. Fern Reproduction
frond underside with sori
sporangium
fiddlehead

8. Phylum Pterophyta Ferns
Examples:
leather leaf
Maidenhair
leatherleaf
Boston fern
maidenhair

9. Phylum Pterophyta Ferns

10. Phylum Pterophyta Ferns

11. Phylum Lycophyta Club mosses
have vascular tissue
roots, stems and leaves
leafy green stems branch from underground rhizome
(stem)

12. Phylum Lycophyta Club mosses
Habitat
wetlands
Example : Lycophyta
Dominant generation
sporophyte
★Ancient species
(now extinct) very
successful during
dinosaur days

13. Phylum Lycophyta Club mosses
         
Lepidodendron  was a giant
tree-like club moss. It towered
to 45 m in height and flourished
in the swamp forests of the
Carboniferous. 

14. Phylum Lycophyta Club mosses
Reproduction
alternation of generations
use spores (no seeds)
spores develop in sporangia on specialized leaves of sporophyte in cones
(clubs)
Club moss reproductive structures

15. Phylum Sphenophyta Horsetails / snakegrass
have vascular tissue =
roots (rhizomes),
leaves, jointed stems
seedless
habitat = wetlands
especially common
along
stream banks

16. Phylum Sphenophyta Horsetails / snakegrass
alternation of generations
spores form in
cones at tips of stems

17. Phylum Sphenophyta Horsetails / snakegrass
Example = Equisetum

18. Phylum Sphenophyta Horsetails / snakegrass
Dominant generation=
sporophyte
Use
During Colonial & Frontier
times, used to scour, or
scrub, pots and pans. 
Nature”s own Brillo Pad. 

19. Phylum Psilophyta Whisk ferns
seedless
habitat= wetlands
most closely resemble earliest vascular plants
vascular tissue= have branched stems and roots (no leaves)

20. Phylum Psilophyta Whisk ferns
Interesting fact
among the earliest known vascular plants found in fossil record, and are the simplest living vascular plants
Cooksonia

21. Phylum Psilophyta Whisk ferns
Reproduction
spores form in sporangia at
tips of short branches
Use
Hawaiians often collect the spores and
use them as talcum powder

22. Phylum Psilophyta Whisk ferns
Example: Psilotum