1. Seedless Vascular Plants Section 23.4

2. Compared To Bryophytes Unlike Bryophytes, their sporophytes contain xylem and phloem and aren’t attached to gametophytes. Sporophytes are the larger, longer lived phase of the life cycle Like Bryophytes, a few live in dry habitats, and during seasonal rains reproduce sexually Both require standing water to reproduce Their flagellated sperm swim through water to reach eggs

3. Whisk Ferns Special because their sporophytes have rhizomes Rhizomes are branching absorptive stems that grow underground Whisk ferns are not real ferns and are shaped like a whisk broom

4. Lycophytes Most widespread are club mosses that have vascularized stems and roots, which grow from underground rhizomes Defining trait are microphylles – tiny leaves with unbranched veins Certain lycophytes are organized around a central stem called a strobilus Strobilus- any cone-like reproductive structure derived from modified leaves The sporophytes of many horsetail and gymnospores produce strobili during the life cycle

5. Horsetails aka Scouring Rush Most have rhizomes, hollow stems, and scale- like leaves at stem nodes The strobilus at a fertile stem tip releases haploid spores Free-living gametophtes grow from germinating spores Used by American pioneers as disposable pot scrubbers as they moved westward

6. Ferns Largest and most diverse group Roots usually grow from vascularized rhizomes Patches of spore-forming chambers form on lower surface of fern fronds known as sorus The chambers pop open producing haploid spores that are released into the air. After germination, each spore produces a gametophyte

7. Fern Life Cycle

8. Coal Giant stemmed lycophytes were, over time, covered by sedimentary layers as a result of the changing levels of the sea With pressure and heat, the remains of these seedless vascular plants eventually turned into coal