Plant Phyla Project

By: Alissa Hindman

Bryophyta ~ common name- mosses~ reproduction- sexually and asexually ~ major group- seedless nonvascular~ distinguishing characteristic- don't have true leaves or vascular systems.~ Important facts- anchor themselves to the ground with rhizoids. People use peat in diapers, band-aids, and even use it for fuel.~ Habitat- damp, nutrient-poor soils

Hepatophyta~ Common Name- liverworts~ Major Group- seedless nonvascular~ Habitat- damp environments~ Distinguishing Characteristics- Grow on wet rocks or areas with moisture. They can have two basic forms, thallose or leafy. ~ Reproduction- Asexually ~ Important Facts- They have have stemlike and leaflike structures and the leaflike are arranged in three different rows.

Anthocerophyta ~ Common Name- Hornworts~ Major Group- seedless nonvascular~ Distinguishing Characterisitics- They grow low to the ground and the main part of the body is flat and has a lobed appearance. ~ Habitat- Tropical forests and along streams. They can be found all over the world.~ Reproduction- They reproduce by spores~ Important Facts- If pieces break off, they can reproduce by something called fragmentation and can become their own plant. 

Lycophyta~ Common Name- Club Mosses~ Major Group- Seedless Vascular~ Distinguishing Characteristics- They are huge and can be taller than ten stories tall. They look like our modern day trees.~ Habitat- They grow in cooler climates. ~ Reproduction- Depend on water~ Important Facts- They can grow up and out because they have a vascular system.

Pterophyta~ Common Name- Ferns, Whisk Ferns, and Horsetails.~ Major Group- Seedless Vascular ~ Distinguishing Characteristics- Ferns grow because of underground stems called rhizomes. Horsetails have a cell wall that contains a compound called silica.~ Habitat- Horesetails grow where it's wet and the Ferns grow in the tropics or subtropics.~ Reproduction- Depend on water~ Important Facts- Ferns are the most successful survivors and there are more than 12,000 species alive today.

Cycadophyta~ Common Name- Cycads ~ Major Group- Cone- bearing seed plants~ Distinguishing Characteristics- They have huge cones ~ Habitat- Tropical areas like Asia or Africa.~ Reproduction- They reproduce through there cones~ Important Facts- These plants provided food for dinosaurs back when they were still alive. Most are also endangered because their slow at growing. 

Ginkophyta~ Common Name- Ginkgoes~ Major Group- Cone- bearing seed plants~Distinguishing Charcteristics- Seeds are not enclosed in a fruit~ Habitat- It mostly grows in China~ Reproduction- Pollination ~ Important Facts- There is only one species alive today.

Coniferophyta~ Common Name- Conifers ~ Major Group- Cone- bearing seed plants~ Distinguishing Characteistics-~ Habitat- They can really grow anywhere because they adapt to high and low altitudes and also poor soil.~ Reproduction- Through polination ~ Important Facts- Some conifers hold records in California because they are over 4,000 years old. They also have the mass of about 40 busses.

Anthophyta~ Common Name- Flowering Plants~ Major Group- Flowering seed plants~ Distinguishing Characteristics- Their seeds are enclosed in fruits.~ Habitat- Different flowering plants can handle different clilmates. There habitats vary to many different climates and soils.~ Reproduction- They reproduce with the flowers that grow~ Interesting Facts- A fruit is a mature ovary of a flower.