Table of Contents
Introduction:
The entire kingdom of plants is known as kingdom Plantae which is divided into angiosperms and gymnosperms, thallophytes, bryophytes, pteridophytes. Angiosperms are flowering plants whereas gymnosperms are non-flowering plants. They have chlorophyll pigment present which is responsible for photosynthesis and is used for making their own food they are known as autotrophs. Bryophytes are nothing but non-vascular, small plants which include hornworts, liverworts, and mosses. They play a vital role in the ecosystem as they provide a buffer system to other plants. Bryophytes are very good indicators of habitat quality as many of the plant species in this group are sensitive to levels of moisture in the atmosphere, if to less shade their distributed habitat is very less. Bryophytes are plant species that don’t have any seeds and fruits, they reproduce by spores instead. Within these bryophytes, we are having177 families and 1822 genera. 34,456 are accepted plant species rank in bryophytes.
Overview:
The term bryophyte comes from Greek buron. Bryophytes are traditional names for seedless, non-vascular plants in kingdom Plantae. They are small in size and they love to be in moist conditions although they can survive a dry environment. It consists of twenty thousand plant species. They produce sexually by spore and asexually by fragmentation. Bryophyta term was first suggested by Braun in 1864. The Bryophyte life cycle is dominated by multicellular gametophyte stages. Unbranched sporophytes are present here. A true vascular tissue containing lignin is absent in all bryophytes. They have specialized tissue for the transport of water. Bryophytes can survive on rocks and barrel soil. Bryophytes can grow where vascularised plants can grow because they don’t need roots for nutrition uptake. Bryophytes are distributed throughout the world from polar to tropic regions. Although they can survive at dry temperatures, they need water for the movement of sperm towards the egg. They can not live in extreme arid regions and seashore areas but some bryophytes are able to survive there too. We can find abundant bryophytes in a climate with a humid and constant temperature. Peat is used in horticulture as an energy source as fuel, used in whiskey production, and also as insulation.
This is all about bryophyte, bryophyte classification, bryophyte distribution, and its characteristics, and also the importance or uses of bryophyte. Bryophyte is non vascular smapp plant like bodies. It has many uses commercially and economically. Bryophytes are divided into three classes: Bryopsida, anthocerotopsida, and hepaticopsida. We have listed characteristics of these three classes too and also mentioned some examples.don’t neglect this topic which is more important in competitive exams in which you can score high.
Importance of bryophytes:
Bryophytes have many uses as they are important in initiating soil formation on barren areas, maintaining soil moisture, for forest vegetation they recycle nutrients also. The study of bryophytes helps us for further classification and has an influence on the development of research in such areas as genetics. Some particular bryophytes are useful in assessing productivity and nutrient status. Bryophytes’ characteristics make them useful to nature in many ways. Bryophytes are shown to help water retention and air space within the soil. Bryophytes are also used as indicators for soil pollution they grow in areas for detecting whether the soil pollution is present or not. Moss gardens are built in many areas like in japan. Some bryophytes act as natural pesticides whereas some release chemicals which help in seed germination and also for killing damp fungus which affects young seedlings. Some bryophytes act as antidepressants which protect them from eating slugs. Commercially they are used as fuel, surgical, and also in packing. Sphagnum is used as a surgical dressing in world war. Bryophytes’ antibiotic properties and ability make them useful for packaging vegetables, fruits, and also some food materials.
Classification:
Bryophytes are classified into three classes: Bryopsida, anthocerotopsida, hepaticopsida.
Bryopsida:
In this class, barely 1500 species are placed which makes it the largest compared to the other two classes. Bryopsida is also popularly known as mosses. Elaters are absent in the sporangium capsule. Sex organs are positioned apically along the stem. In foliose stem and lateral appendages which are also known as leaves come under. When midrib is absent it leaves the former act as an axis. The columella is present. In each saprophyte, capsule, foot, and seta are present. In multicellular rhizoids oblique septa are present. Endothecium gives rise to sporogenous tissues. Bryopsida can produce both sexually and asexually. The apical portion of the shoot includes both archegonia and antheridia which are responsible for fertilization. The secondary protonem grows and fragments, which leads to the formation of newer Bryopsida which is asexual reproduction.
Examples of Bryopsida are Polystichum and funaria.
Anthocerotopsida:
In this class, there are 300 species. Some salient features of anthocerotopsida are thallus that shows no sign of scales. Seta is meristematic. The sporophyte is cylindrical in shape which particularly only depends on the gametophyte to derive its nutrition. The gametophytic body comprises a thalloid without any internal tissues differentiation. Anthocerotopsida reproduction takes place in both sexual and asexual methods. Through water, sperm travels from antheridium to archegonium for fertilizing eggs. Sporophyte splits to release spores which mature into a gametophyte. By asexual thallus fragments and reproduce using tubers. This process occurs only in unfavorable conditions.
Hepaticopsida:
The characteristics of hepaticopsida are numerous chloroplasts are present in the thallus in each cell. The classification of bryophyte is incomplete without hepaticopsida. Chloroplast lacks pyrenoids and also columella absent in the capsule. Reproductive organs are present within the dorsal surface. In rhizoids septa is absent. The body of hepaticopsida can be either foliose or thalloid. Lateral appendages or leaves do not contain midrib. This type of Bryophyta can also reproduce sexually and asexually too. In sexual reproduction antheridium and archegonium lead to the formation of sperm and egg cells respectively. After zygote formation, a diploid sporophyte arose and became mature for further process. meiosis this diploid sporophyte produces haploid spores, which transfer into free-living gametophytes. Asexual reproduction totally depends on gemma cup fragmentation. These gemma cups separate from their parent plant and become independent hepaticopsida.
Importance of this chapter in NEET:
Bryophyte is one important area in your neet competitive exam, especially it is one of the high scoring areas. Apart from it, you will learn bryophyte characteristics, reproduction and also lifecycle, and some examples. As we discussed many things related to bryophyte make you get good marks. In botany, this is the main area from where you can expect five to ten bits. If you learn it without any mistakes you can score more. Don’t forget to learn examples in this and the mode of reproduction and species which belong to three classes and all. We also discussed some important characteristics of all three classes Bryopsida, anthocerotopsida, and hepaticopsida. There are many uses commercially and economically from this bryophyte; read it clearly they may ask about uses too and species names. Don’t neglect topics that you can score high on.
Also read: Tissues
Frequently Asked Question (FAQs):
Question: What is bryophyte?
Answer: Bryophytes are nothing but non-vascular, small plants which include hornworts, liverworts, and mosses. They play a vital role in the ecosystem as they provide a buffer system to other plants. Bryophytes are very good indicators of habitat quality as many of the plant species in this group are sensitive to levels of moisture in the atmosphere, if to less shade their distributed habitat is very less. Bryophytes are plant species that don’t have any seeds and fruits, they reproduce by spores instead. Within these bryophytes, we are having 177 families and 1822 genera. 34,456 are accepted plant species rank in bryophytes.
Question: Write down some importance or uses of bryophyte?
Answer: Bryophytes have many uses as they are important in initiating soil formation on barren areas, maintaining soil moisture, for forest vegetation they recycle nutrients also. The study of bryophytes helps us for further classification and has an influence on the development of research in such areas as genetics. Some particular bryophytes are useful in assessing productivity and nutrient status. Bryophytes’ characteristics make them useful to nature in many ways. Bryophytes are shown to help water retention and air space within the soil. Bryophytes are also used as indicators for soil pollution they grow in areas for detecting whether the soil pollution is present or not. Moss gardens are built in many areas like in japan. Commercially they are used as fuel, surgical, and also in packing. Sphagnum is used as a surgical dressing in world war. Bryophytes’ antibiotic properties and ability make them useful for packaging vegetables, fruits, and also some food materials.
Question: What are examples of Bryopsida and Anthocerotopsida?
Answer: examples of Bryopsida are: Polystichum, sphagnum, and funaria. Anthocerotopsida examples are megaceros, anthoceros, notothylas, and ore.
Question: Write some characteristics of hepaticopsida?
Answer: The characteristics of hepaticopsida are numerous chloroplasts are present in the thallus in each cell. The classification of bryophyte is incomplete without hepaticopsida. Chloroplast lacks pyrenoids and also columella absent in the capsule. Reproductive organs are present within the dorsal surface. In rhizoids septa is absent. The body of hepaticopsida can be either foliose or thalloid. Lateral appendages or leaves do not contain midrib. This type of Bryophyta can also reproduce sexually and asexually too.
