8.2 Plants Without Seeds

Nonvascular Plants Do not grow tall  Do not have roots, stems or leaves Live in moist areas  Absorb water directly from environment  Sperm cells swim to egg cells Only 3 major groups  Mosses  Liverworts  Hornworts

Mosses Grow in damp, shady spots Rhizoids – thin, rootlike structures that anchor the moss and absorb water and nutrients from the soil

Liverworts Often grow on rocks by a stream Leaf-like structures resemble a human liver

Hornworts Usually live in moist soil, mixed in with grass Sporophytes look like horns

Seedless Vascular Plants First types of vascular plants Do not have seeds  Reproduce with spores Can grow tall Must grow in moist surroundings  Must be enough water for fertilization to occur 3 Main types  Ferns  Horsetails  Club Mosses

Ferns Fronds – fern leaves Spores are spread by wind and water  Will grow into plant if it lands in moist, shaded soil

Horsetails Jointed stems Stems contain silica, a gritty substance also in sand Prefer to grow in sandy soil Considered a nuisance weed, because it easily regrows after being pulled out

Club Mosses NOT mosses Looks like a small pine tree  Ground pine Typically grow near streams