Bryophytes
These
plants are composed of liverworts, hornworts, and mosses. Bryophyte plants have dominant gametophyte
generations are larger and longer living than their sporophyte
generations. In fact, their sporophyte
generations are dependent on the gametophytes for nutrition and shelter. Bryophytes are nonvascular plants so they are
unable to grow fairly tall and typically
will be shorter flat plants.
Seedless Vascular
Plants
These
plants have developed tubes inside them that allow them to transport minerals,
nutrients, and water to different areas of the plant.
Made out of xylem and phloem, these plants
are more able to stand upright and grow taller to be more competitive in
gathering sunlight and nutrients in their environment.
These plants demonstrate a steady shift from
dominant gametophyte generations to longer sporophyte generations that rely
less on the gametophytes.
Gymnosperms
Gymnosperms
include plants like conifers, pines, etc.. Their seeds are considered naked
seeds and lack an enclosed ovary. As
such they are typically called naked seed plants. In conifers, the seeds are grown on
cones. Gymnosperms have very small and
very short gametophyte generations. The
sporophyte is now the largest and more noticeable part of the plant.
Angiosperms
The
angiosperms are considered the flowering and fruiting plants. These plants have enclosed ovaries that allow
them to protect their embryos. Angiosperms
are divided into monocots and dicots.
Angiosperms utilize flowers to attract insects and animals to aid in the
process of pollination and fertilization.
Angiosperms also grow fruits to protect their seeds. Fruits have also evolved to aid the spread of
species by means of both animal and environmental aids.
