Non-seed vascular PlantsNon-seed vascular Plants

Divisions of non-seed vascular Divisions of non-seed vascular plantsplants

Psilophyta – whisk fernsPsilophyta – whisk fernsLycophyta - club mossesLycophyta - club mossesArthrophyta - horse tailsArthrophyta - horse tailsPterophyta - fernsPterophyta - ferns

Non-seed vascular plantsNon-seed vascular plants

The sporophyte generation is dominant

Antheridia - structure that produces sperm

Archegonia – structure that produces eggs

Psilophyta – Whisk FernsPsilophyta – Whisk Ferns

•Thought to be the first of the vascular plants•Only vascular plants without leaves or roots•Found in tropical and sub-tropical climates•Very little economic importance – a few uses in Hawaii

Lycophyta – Club MossesLycophyta – Club Mosses

Leafy stems resemble moss gametophyte

Reproductive structure resembles a club

All have roots, stems, and small leaflike structures

A single vein of vascular tissue in each leaf-like structure

Arthrophyta - HorsetailsArthrophyta - Horsetails Only about 15 species

Contain silica and were once used to scour cooking utensils

Found in marshes, shallow ponds, stream banks and other damp soils

Stems are ribbed, jointed and hollow

Spores are produced at the tip of the stems.

Pterophyta - FernsPterophyta - Ferns

More dominant than club mosses and horsetails

Can be found in many places

Some species become dormant when water is scarce, and resume growth and reproduction when water is available

Fern structuresFern structuresRhizome is a thick underground

stem. Leaves are called frondsSpores are produced in sporangia

(sorus, sori)Ferns are the first vascular plants

to evolve leaves with branched vascular tissue

Origins of non-seed vascular plantsOrigins of non-seed vascular plants

• Vascular plants could live on land and grow much larger.

• First appeared during the Devonian Period.

• Tree sized non-seed vascular plants dominated during the Carboniferous period – these plants (the lycophytes) became today’s coal and oil deposits.