Simple Vascular Plants Page 37 Pteridophytes (Ferns)
Seedless Vascular Plants
Divisions Not for examinations 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 Dominant Sporophyte stage has true roots, stems, and leaves 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
the fiddle head coming off the rhizomes.
Parts of the Fern Sporophyte
Characteristics of Pteridophytes Page 37 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 The prothallus starts the Gametophyte stage 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.
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Uses for Ferns Help prevent erosion Fiddleheads are eaten as food EXTRA Help prevent erosion Fiddleheads are eaten as food Ornamental plants for yards and homes Helped form coal deposits millions of years ago
TO DO Page 38: Learning Activity 2
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