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Characteristics: This suite of characters are common to all members of the Plant Kingdom. Certain of
these characters are found among various algal groups, but no single species of algae has this entire set
of characters.
- Gametophytes nutritionally independent of sporophytes, but sporophytes attached to and, for the most
part, nutritionally dependent upon gametophytes
- Gametophyte dominant generation in bryophytes (vs vascular plants where sporophyte is dominant
and conspicuous).
- Rhizoids anchor the gametophyte to the substrate; not a vascular tissue so does not conduct water.
- Sperm swim through water to reach egg located inside an archegonium
LIFE CYCLE:
- Haploid gametophytes develop directly from spores, in most cases - (i.e., no protonema)
- gametophytes can be monoecious or dioecious
- in monoecious species (spp., henceforth), gametophores (archegoniophores &
antheridiophores: specialized branches bearing gametangia) develop on one gametophyte
- in dioecious spp., female gametophyte develops archegoniophores containing archegonia
which hold one egg and male gametophytes develop stalked antheridiophores which contain
antheridia which produce biflagellate sperm; antheridia are contained slightly below the
upper surface of the antheridiophore; sperm have been shown to be dispersed by raindrops
for a distance of 60 cm.
- archegonia are flasklike in shape with a long neck and a swollen basal portion, the venter.
The central cells of the neck, the neck canal cells, disintegrate at maturity. In the venter are
the egg, and the ventral canal cell. The latter also disintegrates when the archegonia reaches
maturity. The ventral canal cell and neck canal cells are extruded as slime through which
the sperm swim. Fertilization of the eggs of the first formed archegonia happens before the
stalk of the archegoniophore begins to elongate.
- zygote divides and develops into an embryo within archegonia
- embryo differentiates into young sporophyte and sporogenous tissue (2n) within the enlarged
archegonium (= calyptra); in some taxa, the sporophyte differentiates into three separate
regions: the enlarged foot, the seta or stalk and the capsule or sporangium. Foot forms a
connection between gametophyte and sporophyte and facilitates the transport of nutrients
from gametophyte to developing sporophyte. Sporophytes are photosynthetic at maturity.
- sporogenous tissue (sporocytes or spore mother cells) undergoes meiosis to produce
spores (1n) (meiospores because they are formed via meiosis) within mature
sporophyte
- calyptra degrades and spores disperse from sporophytes within archegonial heads
- spores germinate and develop into gametophytes
NOTEABLE CHARACTERISTICS- Presence of one large bilobed chloroplast (or two smaller
chloroplasts) and pyrenoids (centers where glucose is condensed to starch within chloroplasts
of green algae and hornworts) attest to similarity to Colochaete
- Presence of stomata set liverworts and Colochaete apart
III. DIVISION BRYOPHYTA: TRUE MOSSES (ca. 600 genera, ca. 9500 spp.)
- Generally treated in three distinct classes: Bryidae (the "true" mosses), Sphagnidae (the peat
mosses) and Andreaeidae (the granite mosses).
- remarkably sensitive to air pollution (like lichens)
GAMETOPHYTES develop from single apical meristematic cell similar to that found in
liverworts BUT they develop in two distinct stages: PROTONEMA (filamentous growth that
develops from germinating spore; protonema is platelike in Sphagnum) and LEAFY
GAMETOPHYTE
- cells of protonema occur in a single layer
- leafy gametophytes develop from buds on protonema
Gametophyte of mosses is leafy and usually upright rather than flat as in liverworts
- gametophytes range in size from 0.5 mm to 50 cm in length
* hydroids: central strand of water conducting tissue in gametophytes
- hydroids resemble tracheids in that they lack protoplast, but lack specialized wall
thickenings
* in some species, leptoids (sieve-like elements: food-conducting cells) surround hydroids
*leaves initially produced in three ranks, but become spiral in appearance
LIFE CYCLE: sporic
- meiosis occurs in spore capsules
- spores (1n) germinate into protonemata
- protonemata bud and develop leafy gametophytes (male and female)
- antheridia and archegonia develop on male and female leafy gametophytes, respectively
- antheridia produce biflagellate sperm; found in structures called splash cups
- sperm can travel great distances either by insects or by being splashed by rain
- archegonia produce an egg
- sperm (biflagellate) swim to archegonia and fuse with egg
- embryo develops, divides and young sporophyte grows attached to female leafy
gametophyte with the development of foot embedded in gametophyte
- sporophyte grows, develops spore capsule (at apex of seta or stalk in most species; seta
lacking among granite mosses), meiosis occurs and spores are produced
- calyptra, derived from archegonium, often remains with capsule
- young sporophytes contain chloroplasts and are photosynthetic
- dispersal of spores occurs when calyptra falls off and operculum (lid of capsule) pops off
leaving the peristome (a ring of teeth at the apex of the capsule) surrounding the
opening of the capsule (peristome found only among the class Bryidae; absent among
other two classes). Each capsule is capable of shedding up to 50 million haploid spores.