Disentangling the origin of chemical differences using GHOST
Bryophyta General Characteristics and Economic Importance - Copy.ppt
1. GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS AND ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE
DR. AVINASH K. ANEY
M.Sc., M. Phil., Ph.D. SET
Head
Department of Botany,
Science College, Pauni, Dist. Bhandara
2. GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS
Occupy position between aquatic algae and land inhabiting pteridophytes
Called amphibians of plant Kingdome
Plant body independent gametophyte
Habitat:
Found in damp, humid, and shaded regions.
Some found in aquatic conditions too: Riccia flutians, Ricciocarpous, Fontinalis.
Nutrition:
They are mainly autotrophic.
Certain species can be saprophytes, such as Buxbamia, Cryptothallmus
Plant Body:
Plant body is haploid independent gametophyte may be dorsiventrally differentiated
(Thalloid) or differentiated into stem and leaves (Foliage)
In foliage: Leaves arranged in 2 or 3 rows on the axis and always without midrib
Sporophyte is diploid and dependent on gametophyte
Gametophyte produces haploid gametes (n)
Sporophytes are diploid and produces haploid spores by meiosis
3. True roots absent. Unicellular or multicellular hair-like rhizoids present ventrally
Rhizoids absorbs water and nutrients from soil and are of two types:
Smooth walled
Tuberculate
Vascular tissue i.e. xylem and phloem absent
All bryophytes are homosporous
Spores germinate into filamentous or thalloid protonema
4. Internal structure simple consisting of parenchymatous tissue with chloroplast
Differentiated into upper chlorophyllous tissue and lower storage region
Presence of large or small air chambers with branched or unbranched filaments
Each air chamber opens outside by an opening called ostiole
5. Reproduction: Reproduces by following methods
Vegetative Reproduction: Takes by following ways
1. By death and decay of older parts of the thallus: (Riccia, Marchantia, Notothylas)
2. Fragmentation: (Riccia, Marchantia, Anthoceros)
3. Adventitious branches: (Marchantia, Funaria)
4. Tubers: (Marchantia, Linularia)
Asexual Reproduction: Takes place by
1. Gemmae: Special structure developed in gemma cups (Marchantia)
2. Spores: Haploid spores produced in sporogonium
6. Sexual Reproduction:
Oogamous (takes place inside female sex organs)
Takes place by the formation of gametes in sex organs
Jacketed sex organs produced on gametophyte
Antheridium: Male sex organ, Archegonium: Female sex organ
Antheridium:
Globose, Club shaped, oval or elongated stalked structure
Covered by single or multilayer jacket of sterile cells
Accommodates the sperm mother cells (androcytes or spermatocytes)
Androcytes metamorphoses into biflagellated antherozoid or spermatozoid (n)
Archegonium:
Flask-shaped, stalked structure covered by single or two layered sterile jacket
Differentiated into upper elongated, narrow neck and lower swollen venter
Neck consist of axial row of cells called neck canal cells (NCC)
Venter contains upper sterile venter canal cell (VCC) and lower fertile egg cell (n)
Tip of Archegonium covered by four lid or cap cells
7.
8. Fertilization:
Oogamous: Takes place within archegonial venter
Water is very essential for the act of fertilization
Antherozids (Male gametes): Biflagellated, chemotactic and motile
Attracted towards the chemical secreted by archegonia
Swim on the film of water and reaches archegonial neck
All NCC and VCC disintegrates to form sticky mucilage containing malic acid
Lid or cap cells separates to form minute opening for entry of spermatozoids
Many sperms enter the Archegonium but only one unite with egg cell
Union of sperm nucleus (n) with egg nucleus (n) forms diploid zygote
Divides repeatedly to form multicellular embryo and into sporophyte
9. Sporophyte:
May be simple (Riccia) or complex (Marchantia, Funaria, Anthoceros)
Differentiated into foot, seta and capsule
Venter layer develops into protective covering called calyptra
Sporophyte may have columella (Anthoceros) or opercuum (Funaria)
10. Spores:
Unicellular, uninucleate haploid (n) structure
Covered by two wall layers:
Exine or Exosporium: Outer, thick, sculptured and rough with germ pores
Intine or Endosporium: Inner, thin, elastic and smooth
Spores: Tiny and light by weight, easily carried by wind current
Germinate on suitable substratum to produce young gametophyte (Protonema)
11. Alternation of generation:
Heteromorphic and haplo-diploidy type
Two important events maintain the chromosome number: Fertilization and meiosis
Consist of two phases
1. Gametophytic phase:
First, dominant, haploid and independent
Gametophyte may be monoecious (Bisexual) or dioecious (Unisexual)
Haploid gametes produced in separate sex organs (Antheridium and Archegonium)
Starts with meiosis and ends in fertilization
Fertilization results in formation of diploid zygote (2n)
2. Sporophytic phase:
Second, conspicuous, diploid and dependent on gametophyte
Starts with fertilization and ends in meiosis
Meiosis results in production of haploid spores in capsule
Two generations are morphologically different hence called heteromorphic
Two phases comes in alternate manner with one another hence called alternation of
generation.
13. Economic importance of Bryophyta:
Economically less important. Few bryophytes economically important
Ecological importance:
Few bryophytes help in establishing vegetation on barren lands
Colonize the barren rocks and exposed areas of hills and make them suitable for
growing other plants by decomposing soil and depositing humus in the soil
Initially grasses grow and then shrubs and finally trees establishes
Sphagnum plant: great ecological importance
Grows faster and cover the whole surface of water. Surface raised above due to
deposition of plant debris.
Sphagnum along with other bryophytes forms dense covering over the water
It gives appearance of the soil from the surface. Known as ‘quacking bags’. Later, it
converts into swamps and finally replaced by the forest growth of mesophytic type
Few bryophytes play important role in checking soil erosion.
Packing material:
Most of the bryophytes used as packing material after being dried
Used for packing material for glassware and other fragile goods
14. Dried peat mass (Sphagnum sps.) used to pack buds, cuttings and seedling for
shipments
Used in seed beds:
Peat mosses have remarkable power to absorb and hold water like sponge
Extensively used in seed beds in nurseries and green houses
As a source of fuel:
Peat is also a potential source of coal.
Used as fuel in Ireland, Scotland and other European countries
Absorbent bandages:
Sphagnum plants is slightly antiseptic
Used as absorbent bandages in place of surgical cottons, in hospitals.