The document summarizes key aspects of different plant groups: - Bryophytes are the first plants on land and rely on water for reproduction. They help maintain humidity. - Ferns are vascular plants that reproduce via spores. They can absorb heavy metals and nitrogen. - Gymnosperms include conifers and reproduce via wind-dispersed pollen. They provide many ecosystem services. - Angiosperms are flowering plants that come in monocot and dicot varieties and play a vital role in ecosystems by providing food, oxygen, lumber, and medicine.

1. The Diversity of Plants

5. Bryophytes
 The first plant group above the
water line.
 Only non-vascular group, lacks
upright structure.
 Use diffusion of water to hydrate
cells.
 Depends on damp environment
and access to water.
 Also requires water for sperm to
swim through to eggs.
 Unique to bryophytes, the
gametophyte is dominant and
sporophyte is simple and
relatively smaller.

7. As a
Non-Renewable
Resource
•Plant pioneers out of the
water and onto dry land.
•Maintain the Earth’s
ecosystem’s humidity
levels.
•As sponges, they
maintain humidity over
dry periods and prevent
rapid run-off and
flooding.
•Example: The increase
of flooding in India can
be partly attributed to the
loss of bryophytes in the
Himalayan forests.

8. FERNS

9. Basic Information
Ferns usually grow in tropical
areas
Vascular plants with internal
vein structures
Reproduce from spores and an
intermediate stage called
gametophyte

10. Reproduction
 Patches stuck to the pinnae
 Patches are where you find the spores
 Spores grow inside casings called sporangia
 Take a piece of mature fertile fern frond and place it face
up so that the spore material is on the underneath of the
frond , then leave it overnight, you’re likely to find the
next day that the spores have been released as a fine
coloured powder
 They show up as a fine pattern tracing the form of the fern
frond. They can be black, brown, reddish, yellow or even
green, but they are extremely small. Each of these spores
is capable - through a circuitous process - of growing into
an adult fern.

12. Interesting Facts
 There are about 12,000 different types of Ferns
 These plants are among the oldest living organisms on the
planet; they existed on the planet for nearly 400 million
years.
 Reproduction of ferns takes place in two morphologically
different phases known as sporophyte and gametophyte
 Ferns can absorb heavy metals from the air and soil. They
can be used to prevent pollution or for the cleaning of
already polluted areas
 Ferns are able to absorb nitrogen from the air. Because of
this feature, some farmers use ferns as natural fertilizers
on the rice fields

13. Gymnosperms
 Gymnosperms include conifers (redwoods,
sequoias, cedars, junipers, pine trees)
 Coniferous forests cover much of Northern
Eurasia and North America
 Almost 200 million acres of coniferous forests
are in national forests
 Conifers are the tallest organisms in the world

15. Gymnosperms
 Gymnosperms can reproduce without water due
to their pollen, which can be transferred by
wind.
 Gymnosperms advanced ahead of bryophytes
and ferns this way

16. Gymnosperms
 Our ecosystems provide medicinal plants, food,
timber, clean air and water, and homes for
wildlife
 About 1 billion of our population relies on
forests
 We deforest by doing slash and burn, ranching,
excessive logging for timber
 The effects are irreversible

17. Gymnosperms
 Forests soak up carbon dioxide
 Global warming is worsening due to
deforestation
 15% of greenhouse gases emissions are already
due to deforestation

19. Angiosperm
Basic Information
 Angiosperms are vascular plants.
 Angiosperms are reproductive
plants, producing gametophytes in
order to produce an ovule that will
later on develop into a seed.
 Basic sex organs include: sepals,
petals, stamens, anther, carpel,
ovary and stigma.

21. Different Types of
Angiosperms
Monocots
 Have only one seed
leaf, and include veins
in the leaves, flower
parts are in multiples
of 3 and there are
scattered vascular
bundles within the
plant
 Examples: corn, grass,
palm trees
Dicots
 Have two seed leaves,
netlike vein patterns in
leaves, flower parts are
in multiples of 4 or 5
and vascular bundles
are in distinct rings
within the plant
 Examples: roses,
sunflowers, cacti, and
apple and cherry trees

22. Monocots vs. Dicots

23. Angiosperms Importance
to the Ecosystem
 Angiosperms are the primary food
source for animals.
 They provide us with oxygen for us
to breathe.
 The provide lumber for buildings
and other objects.
 They are the basis for many drugs.