Title: Bryophytes: Classification, Characteristics, Economic importance, Examples
Headings: Bryophytes
Bryophytes
Table of Content
Why are bryophytes called amphibians of plants?
General Characteristics of Bryophytes:
Characteristics Of Bryophytes
Classification Of Bryophytes
Examples of Bryophytes
– Liverworts:
– Mosses:
– Hornworts:
Ecological Importance of Bryophytes
Importance of Bryophytes

Content: Plants occur in damp and shaded areas
The plant body is thallus like, i.e. prostrate or erect
It is attached to the substratum by rhizoids, which are unicellular or multicellular
They lack true vegetative structure and have a root-like, stem-like and leaf-like structure
Plants lack the vascular system (xylem, phloem)
Bryophytes show alternation of generation between independent gametophyte with sex organs, which produces sperm and eggs and dependent sporophyte which contains spores
The dominant part of the plant body is gametophyte which is haploid
The thalloid gametophyte is differentiated into rhizoids, axis and leaves
The gametophyte bears multicellular sex organs and is photosynthetic
The antheridium produces antherozoids, which are biflagellated
The shape of an archegonium is like a flask and produces one egg
The antherozoids fuse with egg to form a zygote
The zygote develops into a multicellular sporophyte
The sporophyte is semi-parasitic and dependent on the gametophyte for its nutrition
Cells of sporophyte undergo meiosis to form haploid gametes which form a gametophyte
The juvenile gametophyte is known as protonema
The sporophyte is differentiated into foot, seta and capsule
The life cycle of bryophytes
Characteristics Of Bryophytes
Classification Of Bryophytes
According to the latest classification, Bryophyta is divided into three classes: Hepaticopsida (Liverworts)
Anthocerotopsida (Hornworts)
Bryopsida (Mosses)
A. Hepaticopsida (Liverworts): The name hepaticopsida comes from the word “hepatic” meaning liver. Liverworts come under this class. Hepaticopsida is further divided into 4 orders: Marchantiales (e.g. Riccia, Marchantia)
Sphaerocarpales (e.g. Sphaerocarpos)
Calobryales (e.g. Calobryum)
Jungermanniales (e.g. Pellia)
The main characteristics of the class hepaticopsida are: Gametophyte plant is either thalloid or foliose
In foliose forms, leaves are without midrib and dorsiventral
Thalloid is dorsiventral, lobed and dichotomously branched
Each cell of thallus contains many chloroplasts without pyrenoids
Rhizoids are unicellular, branched and aseptate
Sex organs are borne dorsally embedded in gametophytic tissues
The sporophyte is made up of only capsule (in Riccia) or foot, seta and capsule (in Marchantia)
The columella is absent in the capsule
Sporogenous tissues develop from endothecium
Reproduction: Asexual reproduction: It takes place by fragmentation or by the formation of gemmae. Gemmae are produced inside gemma cups.