S EEDLESS V ASCULAR P LANTS Ferns, Club Mosses, Whisk Ferns, Horsetails

G ENERAL C HARACTERISTICS Phylum: Tracheophyta “true” land plants Evolved ways of freeing themselves from dependence on wet environments True roots and leaves, cuticle, vascular tissue

C HARACTERISTICS OF TRACHEOPHYTES 1. Vascular tissue: transport water and products of photosynthesis XYLEM – movement of water from roots to shoots Tracheid cell - carry water from roots to leaves PHLOEM – transports nutrients and products of photosynthesis throughout the plant 2. Veins: area in leaves that contain one or more bundles of vascular tissue 3. Cuticles: protective, waxy coating on the leaves, prevents water loss through evaporation

F ERNS : C HARACTERISTICS Well developed tracheophytes True vascular tissue strong roots creeping or underground stems ( rhizomes ) large leaves ( fronds ) Habitat: abundant in wet environments

F ERNS (F ILICINAE ) Sporangium of Sporophyte Gametophyte

L IFE C YCLE OF F ERNS

1. If spore lands on damp soil, it germinates 2. Grows into a flat heart shaped structure called the prothallus (gametophyte). The prothallus lies flat on the ground and produces male and female reproductive organs on its underside 3. Female reproductive organ (archegonium ) produces an egg cell

L IFE C YCLE OF F ERNS ….. 4. Male reproductive organ (antheridia) produces sperm 5. Sperm cells swim to the egg through a film of water. The resulting zygote divides and re-divides 6. This eventually forms a small sporophyte fern plant that grows parasitically on the prothallus

L IFE C YCLE OF F ERNS ….. 7. The small fern plant produces an underground stem called rhizome which produces miniature leaves called fiddleheads when they push above ground 8. Little dots or umbrellas ( sori ) form on the underside of fronds (large leaves) and contain several sporangia 9. Spores are released into the wind from sporangium

L IFE C YCLE A NIMATION

H ORSETAILS (S PHENOPHYTA )

W HISK F ERNS (P SILOPHYTA )

C LUB M OSSES (L YCOPHYTA )

P G 44 #1-3