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Simple Vascular Plants. Pteridophytes (Ferns). Seedless Vascular Plants. Not for examinations. Divisions. Psilophyta – Whisk ferns Lycophyta – Club mosses Sphenophyta – horsetails Pteridophyta - ferns. Ferns. Largest group of extant (living) vascular plants
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Simple Vascular Plants Pteridophytes (Ferns)
Not for examinations Divisions • Psilophyta – Whisk ferns • Lycophyta – Club mosses • Sphenophyta – horsetails • Pteridophyta- ferns
Ferns • Largest group of extant (living) vascular plants • Wide range of habitats (terrestrial, aquatic, arboreal tree ferns, epiphytic) • Can asexually reproduce by Rhizomes (underground stems) Rhizome
Ferns Fronds • Dominant Sporophyte stage has true roots, stems, and leaves • Roots and stems underground • Leaves called fronds found above ground and attached to a stem like petiole
Characteristics of Pteridophytes • Have true leaves and roots • Leaves are called fronds • New leaves are coiled in a bud
Characteristics of Pteridophytes • Roots are fibrous • Anchor the plant • And absorb water and minerals • Grow out of the rhizome (horizontal stem) that grows partially underground
Characteristics of Pteridophytes • Have vascular tissue • Xylem, tracheids and phloem
Characteristics of Pteridophytes • Reproduce by means of spores • Spore cases called sporangia are found on the underside of sporophylls • Sporangia often occur in clusters called sori
Characteristics of Pteridophytes • Wind spreads spores that land on moist soil & germinate into a prothallus (tiny independent gametophyte) that produces gametes Prothallus
Ferns Archegonia (eggs) • The prothallus starts the Gametophyte stage • Gametophyte is heart shaped and short lived • Male antheridia & female archegonia grow on gametophyte • Sperm swims to egg to fertilize Antheridia Sperm Prothallus
Characteristics of pteridophytes • Produce motile male gametes • Rely on water for fertilisatiom Fern Prothallus with archegonia Fern sperm cell
Egg cells are produced in archegonia Fern Archegonia.
Uses for Ferns EXTRA • Help prevent erosion • Fiddleheads are eaten as food • Ornamental plants for yards and homes • Helped form coal deposits millions of years ago