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PTERIDOPHYTES

- Pteridophytes are vascular cryptogams that reproduce via spores and have successfully colonized land. They display an alternation of generations with a dominant sporophyte phase and a gametophyte phase. - Pteridophytes range in habitat from terrestrial to aquatic/semi-aquatic, with some xerophytic species adapted to dry conditions. They are mostly found in cool, moist, shady environments. - Reproduction involves spores that develop into prothalli bearing sex organs; fertilization forms a zygote which grows into a new sporophyte, completing the life cycle.

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118 views13 pages

PTERIDOPHYTES

- Pteridophytes are vascular cryptogams that reproduce via spores and have successfully colonized land. They display an alternation of generations with a dominant sporophyte phase and a gametophyte phase. - Pteridophytes range in habitat from terrestrial to aquatic/semi-aquatic, with some xerophytic species adapted to dry conditions. They are mostly found in cool, moist, shady environments. - Reproduction involves spores that develop into prothalli bearing sex organs; fertilization forms a zygote which grows into a new sporophyte, completing the life cycle.

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aigil
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GENERAL

CHARACTERISTICS
• The plants of this group have feather like fronds (ferns).

• The group of pteridophyta included into Cryptogams with algae, fungi and Bryophytes.

• The algae, fungi and bryophytes are called lower cryptogames while the Pteidophytes
are called higher cryptogams.

• Pteridophytes also called Vascular cryptogams, because only pteridophytes have well
developed conducting system among cryptogams.

• Due to this reason they are the first true land plants.

• The Peridophytes are assemblage of flowerless, seedless, spore bearing vascular plants,
that have successfully invaded the land.

• Pteridophytes have a long fossil history on our planet.


• The main independent plant body is sporophyte, with vascular system.

• It develops from the diploid zygote.

• The pteridophytes grow mostly in cool, moist and shady places, but some are aquatic
(Marsilea, Salvinia, Azolla etc.) and few are xerophytic (Selaginella rupestris, S.
respanda, even some species of Marsilia, M. rajasthanensis, Marsilia condenseta etc.).

• Plants are differentiated into true roots, shoots and leaves. Some primitive members
lack true roots and well developed leaves (e.g; In members of Psilophytales and
Psilotales).

• Except few woody tree ferns all living pteritophytes are herbaceous.

• They may be dorsiventral or radial in symmetry with branched stems.


• The leaves of ptridophyte may be scale like leaf (e.g. Equisetum),
small sessile leaves (e,g. Lycopodium and Selaginella) and large,
petiolate compound leaves occurs in true ferns.

• The stem bears leaves which may be small microphyllous type in


which the leaves are quite small in relation to the stem (e.g.
Lycopodium, Selaginella, Euisetum), or megaphyllous type, in which
the leaves are large in relation to the stem (e.g. ferns).
• In fern, the young leaves show circinate vernation (curved inwards).

• Primary embryonic roots are short lived and replaced by adventitious roots.

• The pteridophyte reproduced by haploid spores which are produced within a specialized
structure called sporangia.

• Plants may be homosporous (all spores are same in shape and size) and heterosporous (spores
are two different shape and size) smaller called microspore and larger called megaspore.

• In some pteridophytes the sporangia developed on stems, axis between leaf and stem, on
leaves (mostly ventral surface of leaves).

• On the stem sporangia may be terminal e.g. Rhynia, lateral in Lycopodium, on the surface of
leaves (Sporophyll) in Ferns. The sporangia are borne on ventral side of specialized leaf called
Sporophyll.
• In true ferns the sporangia are located on the lower surface of the leaf as
clusters called sori (sorus).

• The haploid spore is a unit of gametophyte. On germination it develops


gametophytic prothallus.

• The Gametophytic plant is called prothallus since it more or less looks like
the thallus of a primitive bryophyte.
• Prothallus bears sex organs archegonia and antheridia. As a result of fertilization the
zygote or oospore is formed.

• The homosporous species are monoecious (Antheridia and archegonia borne on same
thallus).

• Heterosporous types are mostly dioecious (Antheridia and archegonia borne on separate
male and female prothallus respectively).

• Microspore gives rise to male prothallus which produces the male sex organs-
antheridium.

• Megaspore gives rise to female prothallus which produces the female sex organs-
Archegonium.

• The sex organs are embedded or projected in the prothallus.


• The male gametes are called antherozoids and produce inside the antherdium.

• Antherozoids are unicellular, spirally coiled and flagellate.

• The archegonia are differentiated into upper neck and lower venter.

• The achegonial neck is projected or the venter is embedded in the prothallus.

• Water medium is essential for fertilization.

• The egg and atherozoids fuse, to form diploid zygote.

• The Zygote develops into new sporophytic plant body.

• Clear alternation of generation takes place in the life cycle of Pteridophytes.


HABITAT

• Pteridophytes are first land vascular plants so, they are


mostly terrestrial in nature, grow in cool and shady places.

• Some pteridophytes are inhabit in xerophytic, semi-aquatic


and aquatic condition.
Terrestrial Pteridophyte

• Members of Psilophyta or ferns grow in terrestrial habitat.

• Some pteridopytes are Lithophytic on horizontal rocky patches.

• The fossil pteridophytes were terrestrial in nature.

• Most species of Lycopods growing in such habitat are Lycopodium


clavatum, L.cernuum, L. reflexum, Selaginella chrysocoulus, S.
kraussiana, Isoetes coramandelina, etc.
• Some pteridopytes are epiphytic. Psilotum nudum, L. phlegmaria, S.
oragana and few ferns grow as epiphytes.

• The tall and well stratified trees in the forests provide a suitable
habitat for the growth of epiphytic Pteridophytes.

• However, a few other ferns prefer open tree trunks and branches.
These epiphytes share a common niche along with orchids and ferns.

• Species like Drynaria quercifolia grow in pure colonies on exposed


rather dry tree trunks, covering entire tree trunks at times.
• Aquatic pteridophytes - Some pteridophytes grow in aquatic and
semi-aquatic habitats.

Eg: Isoetes panchananii and I. englemanni are semi-aquatic.

• Some members of ferns are commonly called water ferns.

Eg: Marsilea, Salvinia, Azolla, Regnellidium etc


Xerophytic pteridophytes

• Some species of Selaginella and Marsilea are xerophytic in nature.

Eg: S. repanda, S. lepidophylla, M. rajasthanensis, M. condensata.

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