Plants with neither flower nor seed
These are plants that produce no flowers and no seeds either. They are the simplest members of the plant kingdom.
Marchantia
Pogonatum
Selaginella
Nephrolepis
Salvinia
Acrosticum
Drynaria
Figure to be added
| Characteristic | Particulars |
|---|---|
| Structure | They range from very small plants to large ones. Some have undergone no true tissue differentiation — there is no root, stem or leaf, and such a plant is called a thallus. Others have differentiated tissue and bear vascular tissue as well. |
| Shape | Thallus-like, or present as very small ferns. |
| Nutrition | All are autotrophic and photosynthetic. Some are epiphytes. |
| Reproduction | Asexual reproduction by producing spores and by fragmentation. Sexual reproduction occurs as well. |
| Distribution | Terrestrial environments of low sunlight where shade and moisture are constant. |
Table 13.2 — the characteristics of non-flowering plants that bear no seeds.
Why they stay in damp places
A seed is a package that can survive a dry spell. Having no seeds, these plants have no such protection, which confines them to places where moisture persists.