Pteridophytes are classified into 4 divisions - Psilophyta, Lycophyta, Sphenophyta, and Pterophyta. Psilophyta includes the most primitive whisk ferns and Lycophyta includes club mosses and spike mosses. Sphenophyta contains the single living genus Equisetum, or horse tails. Pterophyta, or ferns, is the largest and most widely distributed division containing many families and over 10,000 living species distributed worldwide. Each division contains multiple classes that further specify characteristics such as plant body structure, leaf and spore structures, and reproductive systems.

2. Classification of
pteridophytes
 For a long time the division Pteridophyta included-the ferns,
lycopods and horsetails. On the basis of their anatomy Jeffrey in
1902 divided the vascular plants into two types or ‘stocks’. He
included
• ferns, gymnosperms and angiosperms in a ‘stock’ known as
Pteropsida
• lycopods and horsetails in another ‘stock’ known as Lycopsida.
 Scott in 1923 ranked them as divisions. He segregated the
horsetails as a separate division, the Sphenopsida.
 According to Eames (1936), Tippo (1942) and others there is
a single division, the Trachaeophyta consisting of four subdivisions
1. Psilopsida
2. Lycopsida
3. Sphenopsida
4. Pteropsida.
 Classified into 4 divisions that have 40 families. They include
about 10,000 living species (365 genera) distributed worldwide.

3. Classes of pteridophytes
1. Psilophyta 2. Lycophyta
3.
Sphenophyta
4.
Pterophyta

4. Sub classes
 Division I Psilophyta Class 1. Psilotopsida
 Division II Lycophyta
Class 1. Ligulopsida
Class 2. Eligulopsida
 Division III Arthrophyta
Class 1. Sphenophyllopsida
Class 2. Calamopsida
 Division IV Filicophyta
Class 1. Primofilicopsida
Class 2. Eusporangiopsida
Class 3. Protoleptosporangiopsida
Class 4. Leptoprotosporangiopsida

5. 1. Psilophyta(Whisk ferns)
Two genera (Psilotum and Tmesipteris) and 4-8
species
• Most primitive
• Rootless with rhizoids
• Leaves often absent
• Dichotomously branched photosynthetic stem
• Protostele: is the condition where central core of
xylem surrounded by phloem
• Homosporous Synangium: trilocular structure
that encloses sporangia
• E.g. Fossil genera: Rhynia and Horneophyton
• Living genera: Psilotum and Tmesipteris

6. 1. Psilophyta(Whisk ferns)

7. 2. Lycophyta (Club moss or spike
moss)
• Differentiated plant body
• Microphyllous leaves
• Protostele sometimes siphonostele
• Sporophylls aggregate to form strobili or
cones
• Both homosporous and heterosporous.
Lycopodium is homosporous
whereas Selaginella is heterosporous
• Gametophyte depends on fungus for food

8. 2. Lycophyta (Club moss or spike
moss)

9. 3. Sphenophyta (Horse tail)
A single genus which have 35 species
• All are fossils except Equisetum
• Differentiated plant body
• Stem joined with nodes and internodes
• Scaly leaves seen as whorl around the node
• Sporangia forming strobilus or cones
• Homosporous

10. 3. Sphenophyta (Horse tail)

11. 4. Pterophya (Ferns or
Filicophyta)
• Most widely distributed vascular cryptogams
• Differentiated plant body stem mostly
rhizomatous
• Leaves macro phyllous called as fronds
• Young leaves show circinate vernation (spirally
coiled)
• Stele: protostele, siphonostele or dictyostele
• Sporangia form sori on abaxial side of the leaf
• Sporocarp in Marselia
• Indusium may be true or false
• Homosporous (Pteris) or
heterosporous(Marselia)
• Antherozoids multiflagellated

12. 4. Pterophya (Ferns or
Filicophyta)