Bryophyta

Bryophyta takes its name from the Greek bryon (moss) and phyton (plant). The group comprises approximately 960 genera and about 25,000 species.

Habitat. Bryophytes are mostly terrestrial, favouring moist, shady places. Crucially, they still depend on a film of external water to complete fertilization and the rest of their life cycle — this dependence on both land and water has earned them the name 'amphibious plants'.

Life cycle organisation. The Bryophyte life cycle shows two distinct stages: a gametophytic stage and a sporophytic stage. The vegetative plant body that we normally see — thalloid or leafy in form — represents the gametophytic generation. From it arises a spore-producing capsule, which represents the sporophytic generation. …