Plant Phyla Project By: Alissa Hindman

Bryophyta ~ common name- mosses ~ reproduction- sexually and asexually ~ major group- seedless nonvascular ~ distinguishing characteristic- don't have true leaves or vascular systems. ~ Important facts- anchor themselves to the ground with rhizoids. People use peat in diapers, band-aids, and even use it for fuel. ~ Habitat- damp, nutrient-poor soils

Hepatophyta ~ Common Name- liverworts ~ Major Group- seedless nonvascular ~ Habitat- damp environments ~ Distinguishing Characteristics- Grow on wet rocks or areas with moisture. They can have two basic forms, thallose or leafy. ~ Reproduction- Asexually ~ Important Facts- They have have stemlike and leaflike structures and the leaflike are arranged in three different rows.

Anthocerophyta ~ Common Name- Hornworts ~ Major Group- seedless nonvascular ~ Distinguishing Characterisitics- They grow low to the ground and the main part of the body is flat and has a lobed appearance. ~ Habitat- Tropical forests and along streams. They can be found all over the world. ~ Reproduction- They reproduce by spores ~ Important Facts- If pieces break off, they can reproduce by something called fragmentation and can become their own plant.  

Lycophyta ~ Common Name- Club Mosses ~ Major Group- Seedless Vascular ~ Distinguishing Characteristics- They are huge and can be taller than ten stories tall. They look like our modern day trees. ~ Habitat- They grow in cooler climates. ~ Reproduction- Depend on water ~ Important Facts- They can grow up and out because they have a vascular system.

Pterophyta ~ Common Name- Ferns, Whisk Ferns, and Horsetails. ~ Major Group- Seedless Vascular ~ Distinguishing Characteristics- Ferns grow because of underground stems called rhizomes. Horsetails have a cell wall that contains a compound called silica. ~ Habitat- Horesetails grow where it's wet and the Ferns grow in the tropics or subtropics. ~ Reproduction- Depend on water ~ Important Facts- Ferns are the most successful survivors and there are more than 12,000 species alive today.

Cycadophyta ~ Common Name- Cycads ~ Major Group- Cone- bearing seed plants ~ Distinguishing Characteristics- They have huge cones ~ Habitat- Tropical areas like Asia or Africa. ~ Reproduction- They reproduce through there cones ~ Important Facts- These plants provided food for dinosaurs back when they were still alive. Most are also endangered because their slow at growing.  

Ginkophyta ~ Common Name- Ginkgoes ~ Major Group- Cone- bearing seed plants ~Distinguishing Charcteristics- Seeds are not enclosed in a fruit ~ Habitat- It mostly grows in China ~ Reproduction- Pollination ~ Important Facts- There is only one species alive today.

Coniferophyta ~ Common Name- Conifers ~ Major Group- Cone- bearing seed plants ~ Distinguishing Characteistics- ~ Habitat- They can really grow anywhere because they adapt to high and low altitudes and also poor soil. ~ Reproduction- Through polination ~ Important Facts- Some conifers hold records in California because they are over 4,000 years old. They also have the mass of about 40 busses.

Anthophyta ~ Common Name- Flowering Plants ~ Major Group- Flowering seed plants ~ Distinguishing Characteristics- Their seeds are enclosed in fruits. ~ Habitat- Different flowering plants can handle different clilmates. There habitats vary to many different climates and soils. ~ Reproduction- They reproduce with the flowers that grow ~ Interesting Facts- A fruit is a mature ovary of a flower.