Frequently asked questions (FAQs).

Q. 1. Why are bryophytes called as amphibians of plant Kingdom?

Ans: Bryophytes are also called the amphibians of the plant world due to their
preference for moist habitat and dependence on water for fertilization, despite being
land plants.
Q. 2. Comment briefly on classification of bryophytes?
Ans: First, Eichler way back in 1813 had recognized two classes in the bryophytes:
i.

Hepaticae (liverworts)

ii.

Musci (mosses)
Takhtajan (1953) recognized three classes in bryophytes:

i.

Hepaticae (liverworts)

ii.

Anthocerotae (hornworts)

iii.

Musci (mosses)
Rothmaler (1957) changed nomenclature of three classes of bryophytes as

under:
i.

Hepaticae Hepatocopsida

ii.

Anthocerotae Anthocerotopsida

iii.

Musci Bryopsida
At present, majority of the workers recognize three divisions for those plants

previously grouped together as bryophytes under the Kingdom Plantae. These are:
Division Hepatophyta (liverworts)
Division Anthocerotophyta (hornworts)
Division Bryophyta (mosses)

Q. 3. Why Hepatophyta are commonly known as liverworts?

Ans: The term Hepatophyta has been derived from Latin word hepato, which means
liver. Hence, members of this class are commonly known as liverworts. Also, the
name liverwort is very old and has been used in the 9th century. It was probably
applied to those plants because of their resemblances to liver and the belief that the
plant resembling human organs would cure diseases of organs they resemble.
Q.4. Describe briefly the habitats of bryophytes?
Ans: Bryophytes form significant component of vegetation in cooler and moist
northern and southern latitudes, and extremely humid climates of both temperate and
tropical regions. Almost majority of the bryophytes are moisture-loving, mostly
terrestrial, growing in shaded places, moist rocks, bases of trees and similar moist
places; or a few inhabit aquatic habitats, e.g., Riccia fluitans.

A number of

bryophytes grow in bogs, e.g., Sphagnum sp. Others grow in exposed sites and can
endure drought, e.g., Polytrichum juniperinum.
Q. 5. Write a short note on sexual reproduction in bryophytes?
Ans: The sexual reproduction in bryophytes is of oogamous type. The sex organs are
multicellular and considerably more complicated than those of thallophytes. The male
sex organ is known as antheridium; it is a stalked, globose or somewhat elliptic
structure. It has an outer sterile one-cell thick jacket, which surrounds a solid mass of
fertile cells, the androcytes. Each androcyte eventually metamorphoses into a motile
biflagellate antherozoid.
The female sex organ, known as archegonium, is a flask-shaped structure having
basal swollen ventor and somewhat more slender and elongated upper part, the neck.
The ventor and neck are surrounded by a jacket of sterile cells. Four cover cells are
located at the top of the neck. Each archegonium contains a single egg cell which is

located in the ventor. A short stalk attaches the archegonium to gametophyte. Water is
necessary for fertilization.

Q.6. Highlight briefly the importance of bryophytes?

Ans: Bryophytes form an important part of vegetation in cold temperate regions of
world, including Himalayas. Different species of bryophytes are widely used as
medicine, construction material, insect repellant, packing materials and smoke filters.
Some are also used in horticulture because of their high water-holding capacity.
Gardeners use moss- wrapped baskets and pots for cultivating flowers. Mosses are
used as soil-additives. Some insects and birds use mosses for building shelter. Many
bryophytes are first to colonize open and often nutrient-poor sites where no other
plant is capable to grow; for instance, they grow on bare rocks and on recently
deposited volcanic ash. Thus, they act as pioneers of vegetation. Certain mosses have
preference for special kind of substrate for their growth. Therefore, some of them may
serve as the indicators of mineral deposits, pH condition of substrate and also of
particular seed plant community and pollution levels.