Tag: classification of bryophytes

Dichotomous branching, where the growing point divides into two equal branches, is a characteristic feature of the thalloid liverworts (such as Riccia and Marchantia). Mosses like Funaria and higher vascular plants like Pinus show lateral branching instead.

Sphaerocarpos is a genus of liverwort. Division bryophyta is divided into three classes namely, Hepaticopsida (liverwort), Anthoceropsida and Bryopsida. Liverwort is divided into four orders namely, Marchantiales (example: Riccia), Sphaerocarpales (example: Sphaerocarpos), Jungermanniales (example: Pellia) and Calobryales (example: Calobryum).

Archegoniophore is a stalk of a prothallium on which archegonia grows. Marchantia is a genus of liverworts. The thallus of Marchantia is dioecious in nature. It produces either female archegoniophores or male antheridiophores. 

The upper part of the thallus shows well-developed air chambers bounded on all sides by plates of cells, below by the storage tissue and roofed in by an epidermal layer of cells; each chamber is open to the air by a simple pore.

An immature male gametophyte (pollen grain) consists of a vegetative cell and a generative cell. Upon pollination and germination, the generative cell divides mitotically to produce two male gametes, forming the mature male gametophyte.

The sex organs in bryophytes (Riccia, Funaria), are multicellular and jacketed. The jacket of the sterile cell around the sperm and egg is an adaptation to a life on land. The male reproductive organs are antheridia and female reproductive organs are archegonia.

The sex organs in bryophytes {Riccia, Funaria), are multicellular and jacketed. The jacket of the sterile cell around the sperm and egg is an adaptation to a life on land. The male reproductive organs are antheridia and female reproductive organs are archegonia.