PHYLUM BRYOPHYTA

GROUP MEMBERS
NOYAL
ANTONY
MATHAN
GANISHKAR
Three nonvascular (without water conducting vessels)
P. Bryophyta mosses
P. Hepaticophyta - liverworts
P. Anthocerophyta - hornworts
Seven vascular
Two seedless
P. Pterophyta - ferns, whisk ferns, horsetails
P. Lycophyta - club mosses
Five seeded
P. Coniferophyta conifers
P. Cycadophyta - cycads
P. Gnetophyta - gnetophyta
P. Ginkophyta - ginkgo
P. Anthophyta - flowering plants .
 Mosses
Mosses (Phylum Bryophyta) may be found all around the world and

inhabit diverse habitats. Habitats range from exposed rock types,

shaded coniferous forests, to bogs. Mosses can be distinguished from

liverworts (Phylum Marchantiophyta) and hornworts

(PhylumAnthocerotophyta) by a number of gametophytic and

sporophytic features.

The greatest species diversity in bryophytes is found in the mosses,

with estimates of the number of species ranging from 10,000 to 15,000

General characteristics of mosses

Gametophytes small, spiral or alternate arranged leaves on

central axis

Sporophytes grow as stalk from gametophyte

Anchored to substrate by root like rhizoids

Consists of several cells that absorb water

Leaves superficially resemble true leaves green, flattened

blade, slightly thickened midrib one cell thick, lack vascular
strands and stomata
 Most water used by plant travels up on outside of plant, via

capillary action

Some have specialized food conducting cells

Can withstand long periods of drying

Most abundant plants in Arctic and Antarctic, rare in deserts

Mosses are sensitive to pollutants

Poor competitors in environments favorable to growth of

higher plants
 Alternation of generation

Sporophyte Generation:
produces spores (asexual)
Gametophyte Generation:
produces gametes (sexual)
Gametophyte Generation

1. The top of the male gametophyte bears the antheridia

which produces sperm

2. The top of the female gametophyte has one or more

archegonia which contains the ova

3. Sperm swim from the antheridia to the archegonia

and fertilizes an ovum (zygote)
 Sporophyte Generation

4. Zygote grows into a stalk with a capsule which produces

spores

5. When mature the cap comes off and spores disperse

6. Spore grows when environmental conditions are right

7. First grows into a cellular filament called a protonema

8. Protonema then forms the leafy shoots and rhizoids

Classes in phylum bryophyta
There are 6 classes under phylum bryophyta

Class:Takakiopsida

Class:Sphagnopsida

Class:Andreaeopsida

Class:Andreaeobryopsida

Class:Polytrichopsida

Class:Bryopsida
Takakiopsida
Order: Takakiales (1 family, 1 genus, 2 species)

Bryophytes in the Class Takakiopsida are rarely found due to

the scarce number of speciesand their specific habitats.

Habitats are typically humid and terrestrial.

Terrestrial substrates include rocks and banks near waterfalls

located at sea or alpine level.

There is a disjunction in distribution between North America

and Asia, with species found between Alaska and British
Columbia, and Japan and South East Asia.
 The small gametophytic shoots are easily recognized by their bright
green color.

Growth of the shoots is acrocarpous.

Individual leaves are deeply lobed into 2-4 lobes and tapered at each
apex. Further, the leaves are tristratose aiding in the cylindrical shape
of leaves.

Microscopically, the leaves contain oil droplets, common to liverworts

(not mosses).

There are also axillary hairs located at the base of leaves along the
stem, likely aiding in mucilage production and moisture retention.

The stems stand erect on the substratum and are unbranched or only
have a few branches
Takakia lepidozioides
 Sphagnopsida
Order:Sphagnales (1 family, 1 genus, between 100 and 300
species)
Order: Ambuchananiales (1 family, 1 genus, 1 species)

The morphology of the species in the class Sphagnopsida, also

known commonly as Peat moss, is quite different from that seen
in the other classes of the phylum Bryophyta.

These morphological differences may explain why this class is the

most economically valuable class of mosses.

WhileSphagnum dominates cool humid climates, showing the

greatest diversity in temperate regions, the order
Ambuchananiales is only represented by one endemic species in
two localities in Tasmania.
 The gametophyte ofSphagnumhas two types of branches; pendant and
divergent.

The pendant branches hang down along the stem, which aid in the capillary
movement of water, while the divergent branches stick out from the stem at
about a 90 degree angle.

A fascicle comprises of both the pendent and divergent branches that

emerge from the same point on the stem.

The capitulum, which is a cluster of young developing fascicles, is located at

the apex of the main shoot.

As the stem continues to elongate, new clusters of branches form at the

apex, thus maintaining the capitulum. Furthermore, the protonemal stage
ofSphagnumis very brief and filamentous, and is quickly followed by a
thalloid stage.
Wulf's sphagnum (Sphagnum
wulfianum)
Andreaeopsida

Order: Andreaeales (1 family, 2 genera, under 100 species)

The Andreaeopsida grow on siliceous rocks, and are distributed

throughout the world predominantly in colder climates, such as at

higher elevations or at higher latitudes.

The species in this class are typically blackish to dark reddish-

brown and form short and brittle brittle tufts or turfs.

Unlike in some other classes, such as the Bryopsida, the protonema

in the Andraeopsida are thalloid.

Furthermore, all members of this class are autoicous, meaning that

both the female and male reproductive organs occur in separate

clusters on the same gametophyte.
 An important feature of this class concerns the unique structure of
the sporangium.

The sporangium has four (or more) lines of dehiscence, with the
tips of the intervening segments remaining attached to one
another at the polar ends.

The resulting structure is reminiscent of a lantern, hence members

of this class are popularly referred to as the lantern mosses.

Most species have unistratose leaves, with multistratosity

confined to the midrib of costate species

The lines of dehiscence open when the sporangium is dry and

closes when it is moist.
Andreaea mutabilis
Andreaeobryopsida
Order: Andreaeobryales (1 family, 1 genus, 1 species)

Andreaeobryopsida is one of the two classes that are commonly

referred to as the lantern mosses, the other being the class
Andreaeopsida.

Their distribution is between northern Canada and Alaska and

they are found growing on calcareous rocks.

The species in this class differ from those in Andreaeopsida in

that they are dioecious, which means the male and female
reproductive organs are born on separate gametophyte, and
they possess a seta (the pseudopodium is absent).
 When the plants are young, the tissues are green and chlorophyllose.

However, as they mature, they turn dark black to reddish brown, due
to the dark pigments obscuring the photosynthetic pigments.

As previously mentioned, the sporophyte is elevated by a seta.

At maturity, the sporangium is turbinate ( shaped like an inverted

cone, with a broad base and narrow apex), and has 4-8 lines of
dehiscence.

Because the changes in moisture causes the sporangium to flex back

and forth, the lines of dehiscence eventually wear down, leaving only
the base of the sporangium.
Andreaeobryum macrosporum
Polytrichopsida
order: Andreaeobryales (1 family, 1 genus, 1 species)

Mosses in the class Polytrichopsida are often considered as pioneer plants.

Species in this class are acrocarpous and can be found on acidic, exposed
and nutrient-poor soils, all the while exhibiting a wide distribution.

Not only are the leaves of this class costate, but they also possess
photosynthetic lamellae, a complex and unique leaf structure belonging to
Polytrichopsida.

The lamellae are vertical tiers of cells present on the surface of the leaf.

These structures are beneficial for many reason, one of them being it
increases photosynthetic tissue.
 Furthermore, the air spaces created between the lamellae allow for
gas exchange while the waxy cuticle covering the upper cells
prevent water from flooding the air pockets.

However, it is worth mentioning that although it functions in

aiding gas exchange, the small spaces between the lamellae also
function to retain moisture, allowing some species to survive in dry
habitats.

In some species, the lamina is incurved, thereby enclosing much

of the lamellae
Steifblttriges Widertonmoos
(Polytrichum strictum)
Bryopsida
16 orders, 107 families, about 880 genera, about 12,000 species

Mosses in the Class Bryopsida are commonly known as the joint-

toothed or arthrodontous mosses.

The Bryopsids display an diverse assortment of species.

A gametophore may be diocous or monocious, acrocarpous or
pleurocarpous, highly branched, and with variable sized plants.

Macroscopically, the leaves are sessile and spirally arranged in more

than three rows.

Further characterization of leaves includes a unistratose lamina that

generally lacks lamellae and has elongate cells with numerous
chloroplasts.
 Leaves usually contain a costa, that may or may not be mutlistratose
with conducting cells. The stem lacks a leptome, thus may not
contain a well developed conducting system.

The rhizoids of Bryopsids are uniseriate, multicellular with oblique

crosswalls when mature, and arise from epidermal cells of stems and
leaves.

Asexual gemmae arise from rhizoids or the gametophore, depending

on the species.

Sexual reproductive structures (archegonium and antheridium) are

associated with sterile paraphyses.

The calyptra is usually smooth and at the apex of the mature

sporangium.
rough goose neck moss
(Rhytidiadelphus triquetrus)
Significance of bryophyta - Economical
Wrapping andwall paper was made from Sphagnum in the early
1900's
More recently, sphagnum has been used asconstruction material:
Peatcrete, a mixture of Sphagnum, Portland cement and water.
Because of its absorbent andantiseptic propertiesit was used for
dressings during World War I, to make pillows for resting of wounded
members for soldiers transported to hospitals from battlefields, and
recently as filling material for sanitary napkins.
In Japan, mosses have traditionally been used as basecover for
bonsai,in small terraria, in miniature landscapes and in the designs
of the famous japanese gardens.
Has been used for surgical dressing
Accumulated beds of peat are dried out and used as afossil
fuel.peat fires. In the scotch industry, this peaty fuel gives some of
the the scotches their 'peaty' taste, an acquired taste
 Significance of bryophyta - Ecological
In the tropical rainforest, 'moss balls' form in the higher elevations. Here
they can absorb great quantities of rain and release water slowly into the
atmosphere or ground.

They also, along with the moisture, release quantities of ions i.e. Ca+.
These balls support numbers of invertebrates and smaller organisms.
Bascially these layers have created a second 'ground' or terra high in the
tropical canopy... a world recently discovered with walkways and ladders
that span the canopy.

In wetlands such as boglands and swamps.... bryophyta absorb great

quantities of water and release organic acids which decrease
decomposition rates.