Question

Differentiate between the three major phyla of bryophytes by identifying their defining characteristics

Answer 1

Bryophyta term was coined by Braun. Bryophyta are the primitive land plants. In bryophyta presence of independent gametophyte and parasitic sporophyte.it is also called as the amphibians of the plant kingdom.

the three major phyla of bryophytes :-

1. Hepaticophyta ( Liverwort) = The gametophytic plant body of liverwort is small, dorsiventral, leaf axis. chlorophyllous cell contain a lot of chloroplast, ones to several oil bodies, pyrenoids in liverwort is not present.rhizoids of liverwort are unicellular. sex organ are developed from single superficial cells.

2. true bryophyta ( Moss) = it is also called the moss. gametophyte is differentiated in to two stages - prostate protonema and leafy shoot. rhizoids are multicellular. sex organ developed from superficial cells. mosses grow on the soil surface like a dense mat. it prevent soil erosion by running water.

3. Anthocerotophyta ( hornworts) = gametophyte of hornworts is thallium. each cell posses single large chloroplast. central pyrenoid and oil bodies are not Present in the hornworts.thalli are lobed, dorsiventral, internally homogeneous without any differentiation of tissue. mucilaginous cavity are present in hornworts.