Lycopodiophyta are a division of vascular plants known as club mosses. They have green, branched stems with small scale-like leaves and rhizomes. They reproduce via spores rather than flowers and seeds. Spores are released from leaves and travel to new areas to start new plants. Lycopodiophyta have a dominant sporophyte generation and a gametophyte generation that develops independently, sometimes associated with fungi. They are homosporous or heterosporous. Gametophytes are bisexual with sperm-producing antheridia and egg-producing archegonia on the same plant. Fertilization occurs after a flagellated sperm swims to the arche

1. LycopodiophytaLycopodiophyta
Damnjanović Ivana

2. CharacteristicsCharacteristics
 Lycopods haveLycopods have greengreen,, branched stemsbranched stems,, small scale-likesmall scale-like
leavesleaves, and, and rhizomesrhizomes (underground stems which(underground stems which
spread and grow new plants).spread and grow new plants).
HabitatHabitat
wetlandswetlands

3.  Instead of flowers and seedsInstead of flowers and seeds, Lycopods, Lycopods
releaserelease sporesspores from areas on their leaves.from areas on their leaves.
 Spores travel to new places and start newSpores travel to new places and start new
plants.plants.

4.  Lycophytes have aLycophytes have a dominant and complexdominant and complex
sporophyte generationsporophyte generation..
 Lycophytes have aLycophytes have a gametophyte generationgametophyte generation
thatthat develops independently of the sporophyte,develops independently of the sporophyte,
in some cases inin some cases in association withassociation with symbioticsymbiotic
fungi.fungi.

5.  Lycopods areLycopods are homosporoushomosporous (they produce(they produce
only one type of spore), whereas some areonly one type of spore), whereas some are
heterosporousheterosporous,, producing megaspores andproducing megaspores and
microspores.microspores.

6.  Gametophytes are bisexual; the sperm-producingGametophytes are bisexual; the sperm-producing
antheridia andantheridia and the egg-producingthe egg-producing archegoniaarchegonia
occur on the same plantoccur on the same plant..
 FertilizationFertilization takes place after a flagellated spermtakes place after a flagellated sperm
swims to the archegonium.swims to the archegonium.

7. Lycopodium clavatum

8.  In growth habit, the aerial portions of sporophytesIn growth habit, the aerial portions of sporophytes
of Lycopodium species mayof Lycopodium species may rise from a system ofrise from a system of
rhizomesrhizomes (underground stems).(underground stems).
 TheThe leavesleaves may be spirally arranged or grouped inmay be spirally arranged or grouped in
four vertical rows along thefour vertical rows along the shootshoot..
 Adventitious rootsAdventitious roots

10.  SporophyllsSporophylls may be aggregated into definitemay be aggregated into definite
strobilistrobili, or there simply may be fertile and sterile, or there simply may be fertile and sterile
regions along a stem, the sporophylls resemblingregions along a stem, the sporophylls resembling
vegetative leaves.vegetative leaves.
 Often the sporophylls of compact strobili differOften the sporophylls of compact strobili differ
from thefrom the vegetative leaves of the same plantvegetative leaves of the same plant..

12. SelaginellaSelaginella

13. Selaginella species haveSelaginella species have foliage leavesfoliage leaves onlyonly
aa few millimetres longfew millimetres long
Branching is usually dichotomousBranching is usually dichotomous

16.
LepidodendronLepidodendron was a giant was a giant
tree-like club moss. It towered tree-like club moss. It towered
to 45 m in height and flourished to 45 m in height and flourished
in the swamp forests.in the swamp forests.
Fossil formsFossil forms

17. Reconstruction of Asteroxylon by Kidston and Lang (1920b, 1921a)showing aerial axes,
dichotomous and lateral branches with scale-like 'leaves' or enations and naked cylindrical rhizomes.