• All plants belong to the?plant kingdom
• Within the plant kingdom are several?phyla?(singular?phylum)
• Some plant phyla are small
  • E.g. the Glaucophytes contain only 70 species and the Gingkophytes contains only 1 living species
• There are?four major plant phyla
  • Bryophytes (20 000 species)
  • Filicinophytes (10 000 species)
  • Coniferophytes (600 species)
  • Angiospermophytes (352 000 species)
• Each of the four main phyla can be identified by their characteristics

Bryophytes

• The?bryophytes?include?mosses, liverworts, and?hornworts
• They are?small, terrestrial?plants
• They have no?vascular tissue
• Cambium?tissue is also?absent
  • Cambium is a tissue containing stem cells that differentiate into xylem and phloem cells
• Reproduction takes place via?spores
  • Spores are produced in and dispersed from?spore capsules
• Bryophytes do not produce flowers, pollen, ovules, seeds, or fruits
• No true roots are present, but hair-like structures called?rhizoids anchor plants in the soil

The bryophytes include mosses and liverworts

Filicinophytes

• Filiconophytes are the?ferns
• Ferns are?mainly terrestrial?and have?vascular tissue?
• Roots, stems, and?leaves?are present
  • Fern leaves are divided structures known as fronds
• Cambium?tissue is?absent
• Reproduction takes place via?spores
  • Spores are produced in and dispersed from structures on the underside of fronds called?sporangia
• Filicinophytes do not produce flowers, pollen, ovules, seeds, or fruits

The filicinophytes are the ferns

Coniferophytes

• More commonly referred to as the?conifers, the coniferophytes are usually?tall, straight, trees
• Roots, stems, and?leaves?are present
• Vascular tissue is present, as well as?cambium tissue
• Reproduction?is carried out via?pollen?and?ovules
  • Pollen?is produced in male cones and?ovules?are produced in female cones
    • Pollen is the male?gamete?and ovules are the female gamete
  • No flowers?are present
  • Both male?and?female?cones are present on each tree
  • Pollen is carried from one cone to another by the?wind?in order for fertilisation to take place
• Seeds?develop after fertilisation inside cones and are dispersed by falling to the ground or by animals
• Most coniferophytes are?evergreen?(i.e. they retain their leaves all year round)

Coniferophytes reproduce via pollen and ovules that are produced inside cones

Angiospermophytes

• Often referred to as?angiosperms, these are?flowering plants
• This is an incredibly?diverse phylum, with examples including?grasses, shrubs, and non-coniferous?trees
• Roots, stems, and?leaves?are present
• Vascular?and?cambium tissues?are?present
• Reproduction is carried out via?pollen?and?ovules
  • Flowers?produce pollen and also contain ovules within an?ovary
  • Fertilisation occurs when pollen is transferred from one flower to another by e.g.
    • Insects
    • Animals
    • Wind
  • Seeds?form and are?dispersed via fruits which develop from the ovaries of flowers

Angiospermophytes reproduce via pollen and ovules produced in flowers

Plant Phyla Features Table