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Chapter: 11th Botany : Chapter 2 : Plant Kingdom

General characteristic features of Bryophytes

General characteristic features of Bryophytes
The plant body of bryophyte is gametophyte and is not differentiated into root, stem and leaf like structure.

General characteristic features

 

            The plant body of bryophyte is gametophyte and is not differentiated into root, stem and leaf like structure.

 

            Most of them are primitive land dwellers. Some of them are aquatic (Riella, Ricciocarpus).

 

            The gametophyte is conspicuous, long lived phase of the life cycle. Thalloid forms are present in liverworts and Hornworts. In Mosses leaf like, stem like structures are present. In Liverworts thallus grows prostrate on the ground and is attached to the substratum by means of rhizoids. Two types of rhizoids are present namely smooth walled and pegged. Multicellular scales are also present. In Moss the plant body is erect with central axis bearing leaf like expansions. Multicellular rhizoids are present. The structure and reproduction in Bryophytes is given in Figure 2.11

 

            Vascular tissue like xylem and phloem are completely absent, hence called ‘Non vascular cryptogams’.

 

            Vegetative reproduction takes place by the formation of adventitious buds (Riccia fluitans) tubers develop in Anthoceros. In some forms small detachable branches or brood bodies are formed, they help in vegetative reproduction as in Bryopteris fruticulosa. In Marchantia propagative organs called gemmae are formed and help in reproduction.

 





•     Sexual reproduction is Oogamous. Antheridia and Archegonia are produced in a protective covering and are multicellular

 

•     The antheridia produces biflagellate antherozoids which swims in thin film of water and reach the archegonium and fuse with the egg to form diploid zygote.

 

            Water is essential for fertilization.

 

            The zygote is the first cell of the sporophyte generation. It undergoes mitotic division to form multicellular undifferentiated embryo. The embryogeny is exoscopic (the first division of the zygote is transverse and the apex of the embryo develops from the outer cell) . The embryo divides and give rise to sporophyte. 


            The sporophyte is dependent on gametophyte.

 

            It is differentiated into three recognizable parts namely foot, seta and capsule. Foot is the basal portion and is embedded in the gametophyte through which water and nutrients are supplied for the sporophyte. The diploid spore mother cells found in the capsule region undergoes meiotic division and give rise to haploid spores. Bryophytes are homosporous. In some sporophytes elaters are present and help in dispersal of spores (Example: Marchantia­). The spores germinate to produce gametophyte.

 

            The zygote, embryo and the sporogonium constitute sporophytic phase. The green long living haploid phase is called gametophytic phase The haploid gametophytic phase alternates with diploid sporophyte and shows heterologous alternation of generation.

 

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11th Botany : Chapter 2 : Plant Kingdom : General characteristic features of Bryophytes |

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11th Botany : Chapter 2 : Plant Kingdom


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