Plantae Phyla

Phylum Bryophyta:

Description: Bryophytes are non-vascular land plants, unique in that they possess tissues and enclosed reproductive systems, but they have no vascular tissue to circulate liquids, and are therefore limited in size. They do not reproduce by creating flowers or seeds, like many plants, but instead spread spores in a manner similar to fungi. The spores are generated through sexual reproduction: gametes fuse to form a zygote, which forms an embryo that is then launched from the plant.

Environment: Bryophytes are usually found in aquatic environments attached to the sea floor, or on the forest floor or ground.

Example:

Marchantia polymorpha is a type of liver wort, a common group of bryophytes similar to moss. Note its small size and tiny height.


Picture taken from wikipedia.org




Phylum Coniferophyta

Description: Conifers are cone-bearing plants with vascular tissues that form large, hardy trees. They are an incredibly successful phylum, with conifers being the dominant plant type in the world's entire northern hemisphere, and are very resistant to cold climates. Conifers reproduce sexually, with fertilized seeds falling to the ground until they meet conditions suitable to sprout and grow. All conifers are woody, and many are used for construction materials by humans or homes for animals.

Environment: Conifers are typically found in boreal forests, where they make up most of the biomass.

Example:

The redwood, or Sequioandrenon giganteum, is the largest tree in the world in cubic feet. Its sheer size has staggered humans for millennia.



Picture taken from wikipedia.org

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