Why mosses are called higher spore plants, you will learn from this article.

Why are mosses called higher plants?

Spore-bearing higher plants include those plants in which the process of reproduction and distribution is carried out with the help of spores. The spores themselves are formed in 2 ways - sexual and asexual. Spore-bearing higher plants include lichens, algae, fungi, ferns, horsetails, mosses and mosses.

Mosses are higher spore plants with a fairly simple structure. They are classified as this species only because mosses have developed similarities to leaves, stems and a number of tissues. Scientists have proven that they lack roots and rhizomes. But these plants have rhizoids, thanks to which they “attach” to the soil and draw water from it.

So what is the structural feature of mosses that allows them to be called higher plants?

The thing is that they do not have a wired system. They also consist of the same type of fabric. These spore plants belong to the spore plant because of their reproduction by spores.

Scientists have proven that the distant ancestors of mosses were rhyniophytes - an extinct group of plants that were the first multicellular plants to emerge from water on land and create vascular tissues. The stems of mosses have wire, covering and mechanical tissues. All this is due to adaptation to living on land. For example, covering tissues protect the plant from drying out, and mechanical ones help the moss stay upright. Many of them have leaves consisting of a single cell layer. In general, the tissues are poorly developed, so there are no large plants among mosses - they reach only a few centimeters in height.

Question 1. Why are mosses, horsetails and ferns classified as higher spore plants?
Moss mosses, horsetails and ferns are classified as higher plants due to the presence of organs - stems, leaves and roots. And they are called spore-bearing because they reproduce by spores.

Question 2. Where do they grow?
Moss mosses, horsetails and ferns grow mainly in damp shady places. Moss mosses grow mainly in pine forests. Horsetails grow in fields, forests or near bodies of water, usually in wet areas. acidic soil. Ferns are very widespread, living both on land, where they grow not only on the soil, but also on tree trunks and branches, and in water (perennial floating ferns are also found).
Temperate ferns - perennial herbaceous plants, tree-like forms are found in tropical forests. A few species (salvinia) live in water.

Question 3. What is their structure?
All ferns have a stem, leaves and roots.
In club mosses, the shoot branches dichotomously and is divided into underground and aboveground parts. Root system represented by adventitious roots, without root hairs. The leaves are small with one vein. Gametophytes (thralls) are small, green or colorless.
Horsetails grow in damp or marshy areas. Aboveground shoots have articulated stems with whorled branches extending from the nodes. The leaves are small, scale-like, collected in whorls at the nodes. Silica crystals are deposited in the cells of the skin of stems and leaves, so the body of horsetails is very tough. Aboveground shoots of horsetail are formed annually from the buds of the rhizome. Adventitious roots extend from the rhizome. Horsetail has two types of shoots. In early spring spring shoots develop. They light brown, non-photosynthetic. Spore-bearing spikelets form at the ends of spring shoots.
The fern sporophyte is clearly divided into root, stem and leaf. The roots are always adventitious, the stem is usually well developed, sometimes modified and represented by a tuber or rhizome). The leaves are usually feathery, complex, they are called fronds. Fronds grow from rhizomes. On the underside of the frond, small brown tubercles - sporangia - develop. Young leaves are snail-shaped. Sporangia are located on the underside of the leaf. The growth (gametophyte) is often heart-shaped. It bears archegonia, antheridia and rhizoids.

Question 4. Which plants - ferns or mosses - have a more complex structure? Prove it.
The difference between mosses and ferns is that the body of mosses is divided into organs (stem and leaves), mosses do not have real roots, they are replaced by rhizoids, with which they strengthen themselves in the soil and absorb water. Ferns have roots. In addition, all ferns have a more complex internal structure of leaves.

Question 5. What is the significance of club mosses, horsetails and ferns?
The role of ferns in nature and in human economic activity is mainly associated with deposits coal, formed by ancient pteridophytes in the Carboniferous period of the Paleozoic. Modern ferns are used in medicine (for example, male shield is used as an anthelmintic), as ornamental plants, in aquariums and ponds (for example, salvinia, azolla carolina). Some types of Azolla are used as a green fertilizer that enriches the soil with nitrogen. In metallurgy, casting molds are sprinkled with powder from the spores of these plants, and metal parts easily come off the walls. In some areas of our country, spring shoots of horsetail are eaten (raw, steamed, and as a filling in pies), as well as young leaves of bracken fern. Bracken on Far East harvested in large quantities for food purposes. Horsetails are often nasty weeds; Among them there are also poisonous forms.

Biology 6th grade. Subject: Plant kingdom. Seaweed. Higher spore plants

The purpose of this test is to check whether the student can:

¾ distinguish higher plants from the lower ones;

¾ describe by characteristic features the main divisions of lower and higher spore plants;

¾ characterize the importance of algae and higher spore plants in nature and human life;

¾ show signs of more high development higher plants compared to lower ones.

Option 1

unfulfilled.

–A. Mushrooms are plants.

–B. Bacteria are plants.

–IN. Plants are studied by the science of zoology.

+G. Plants can be unicellular or multicellular.

+A. Algae is studied by the science of algology.

–B. Algae are higher plants.

–IN. All algae are green.

–G. Algae are multicellular organisms.

3. Select correct statement regarding spore plants.

–A. Lichens belong to the higher spores.

+B. The spore plants include horsetails.

–IN. Fungi are spore-bearing plants.

–G. Algae are spore-bearing plants.

+A. Lower plants are the most ancient group of plants on Earth.

–B.

–IN. TO lower plants include mushrooms.

+G. Green algae are lower plants.

5. Mark which of the following four statements regarding the department Green algae are correct and which are incorrect.

–A. Laminaria is a green algae.

+B. Chlamydomonas is a green algae.

–IN. Porphyra is a green algae.

+G. Chlorella is a green algae.

+A. Mosses are perennial, small plants.

–B. The science that studies mosses is called algology.

+IN. Mosses - land plants.

–G. Photosynthesis in mosses can occur in complete darkness.

+A. The gametophyte of heterosporous club mosses is short-lived.

–B. The stem of club mosses consists of tissues of the same type.

+IN. The shoots of lycopods branch dichotomously.

+G. Moss club leaves have stomata and a vein.

–A. Rhizome is a collection of sporangia.

–B. The underground part of horsetails is represented by rhizoids.

–IN. Horsetails are food for many animals.

–G. Photosynthesis in horsetails occurs in the leaves.

+A. IN life cycle ferns are dominated by sporophytes.

+B. The leaves of ferns are called fronds.

–IN. Salvinia floating is a homosporous fern.

–G. Common bracken is a representative of heterosporous ferns.

–A. Rhiniophytes evolved from bryophytes.

+B. Terrestrial plants are characterized by a division into underground and aboveground parts.

+IN. The integumentary tissues of rhinophytes had stomata.

–G. The first land plants reached several meters in height.

+A. The shoot has a haploid set of chromosomes.

+B. Fertilization of higher spores is possible only in the presence of water.

–IN. Conductive tissues of higher spores perform a photosynthetic function.

–G. The gametophyte of higher spores is better adapted to environmental conditions than the sporophyte.

12. Mark which of the following four statements regarding plant adaptations to their environment are correct and which are incorrect.

+A. The presence of pigments other than chlorophyll in red algae is an adaptation to capture maximum quantity light in aquatic environment .

+B. The silicon shell of diatoms performs a protective function.

–IN. Algae are attached to the substrate using roots.

+G. The appearance of mechanical tissues in ferns is an adaptation to a terrestrial habitat.

Option 2

When writing down answers to test items, circle the letters that correspond to the statements that you think are correct and cross out the letters that correspond to the statements that you think are incorrect. For example, if you think statements A and B are correct and statements B and D are incorrect, write down . If at least one letter out of 4 is not marked, the task is considered unfulfilled.

1. Choose the correct statement regarding plants.

+A. Plants are powered by solar energy.

–B. Life on Earth is possible without plants.

–IN. The body of higher plants is called the thallus.

–G. Plants are studied by the science of virology.

2. Choose the correct statement regarding algae.

–A. Chlamydomonas is a multicellular algae.

+B. Laminaria is a brown algae.

–IN. Algae reproduce only sexually.

–G. The cell wall of algae is colored with chlorophyll.

3. Choose the correct statement regarding higher spore plants.

+A. The highest spore plants include ferns.

–B. The higher spore plants include flowering plants.

–G. Bacteria belong to the higher spores.

4. Mark which of the following four statements concerning lower plants are correct and which are incorrect.

–A. Lower plants include ferns.

+B. Lower plants include green algae.

–IN. Lower plants reproduce only sexually.

+G.

5. Which of the following algae are diatoms? Mark which of the following four answers are correct and which are incorrect.

+A. Pinnularia.

–B. Ulotrix.

–IN. Sargassum.

–G. Kelp.

6. Mark which of the following four statements regarding the Bryophyta department are correct and which are incorrect.

–A. Mosses absorb water from the soil through their roots.

+B. The science that studies mosses is called bryology.

–IN. The gametophyte in mosses consists of one diploid cell.

+G. There are leaf-stem and thallus mosses.

7. Indicate which of the following four statements regarding the Moss-moss department are correct and which are incorrect.

–A. The leaves of the moss sporophyte are covered with bark.

–B. Mosses serve as food for many animals.

–IN. Sporophyte is a collection of sporangia.

–G. Strobilus is a specialized leaf on which sporangia are located.

8. Mark which of the following four statements regarding the section Equiformes are correct and which are incorrect.

–A. Horsetails are heterosporous plants.

+B. The body of horsetails is divided into nodes and internodes.

+IN. Horsetails are characterized by intercalary growth.

–G. Horsetails have large leaves.

9. Indicate which of the following four statements regarding the department Pteridophytes are correct and which are incorrect.

+A. The sori are located on the underside of the leaves.

–B. In tree ferns, the shoots are modified into rhizomes.

+IN. Fern leaves can be whole or dissected.

–G. Fern spores give rise to the sporophyte.

10. Indicate which of the following four statements concerning the evolution of higher spore plants are correct and which are incorrect.

+A. Mosses represent a blind branch of evolution, since they have limited photosynthetic capabilities.

–B. The emergence of rhinophytes on land was facilitated by the presence of mechanical tissues.

–IN. Bryophytes - the first land plants .

–G. Rhiniophytes were giant plants.

11. Mark which of the following four statements concerning the structural features and life activity of higher spore plants are correct and which are incorrect.

–A. The nuclei of sporophyte cells have a single set of chromosomes.

+B. Tissue is formed by cells that have a common origin, similar structure and perform the same functions.

–IN. The gametophyte of higher spore plants consists of one cell.

+G. The heterosporous nature of higher spore plants contributed to better adaptation to life on land.

12. Indicate which of the following four statements regarding spores of higher spore plants are correct and which are incorrect.

–A. Spores of higher spore plants contain a diploid set of chromosomes.

+B. The spores of higher spore plants are protected from drying out by a dense shell.

+IN. Spores can develop on land.

–G. All higher spore plants are homosporous.

Option 3

When writing down answers to test items, circle the letters that correspond to the statements that you think are correct and cross out the letters that correspond to the statements that you think are incorrect. For example, if you think statements A and B are correct and statements B and D are incorrect, write down . If at least one letter out of 4 is not marked, the task is considered unfulfilled.

1. Choose the correct statement regarding plants.

–A. Viruses are related to plants.

+B. In the life cycle of plants, sexual and asexual generations alternate.

–IN. Lower plants have roots and shoots.

–G. Plants feed heterotrophically.

2. Choose the correct statement regarding algae.

–A. Ulva is a single-celled algae.

–B. The surface of the thallus of brown algae is covered with a shell.

+IN. Many algae are food for fish.

–G. Pigment is a colorless substance.

–A. All green plants are considered higher spore plants.

–B. Higher spores include unicellular algae.

–IN. The higher spores include cyanobacteria.

+G. Mosses are among the highest spore species.

4. Mark which of the following four statements concerning lower plants are correct and which are incorrect.

+A. Lower plants include brown algae.

+B. Algae spores can have flagella, and then they are called zoospores.

–IN. Sexual reproduction is carried out using spores.

–G. Sporophyte is the sexual generation in plant life.

5. Check which of the following four statements regarding the department Brown algae which are correct and which are incorrect.

–A. Brown algae are algae that live in fresh water bodies.

–B. Brown algae include only single-celled plants.

+IN. Brown algae reproduce vegetatively, sexually and asexually.

+G. Fucus is a representative of brown algae.

6. Mark which of the following four statements regarding the Bryophyta department are correct and which are incorrect.

+A. The feet of the sporophyte of bryophytes are embedded in the gametophyte tissues.

+B. Marchantia is a thallus moss.

–IN. Sporogon is a perennial bryophyte.

–G. Common polytrich can reach 1 meter in height.

7. Indicate which of the following four statements regarding representatives of the department of lycopods are correct and which are incorrect.

+A. In homosporous club mosses, the gametophyte is monoecious.

–B. Moss mosses reproduce only sexually.

+IN. The roots of club mosses are formed from the lower part of the shoot.

–G. Moss mosses have no leaves.

8. Mark which of the following four statements regarding the section Equiformes are correct and which are incorrect.

–A. The leaf sheath is the distance between adjacent nodes.

+B. Gametophytes in horsetails are usually bisexual.

+IN. The stem of horsetails is impregnated with silica.

–G. All horsetails are heterosporous plants.

9. Indicate which of the following four statements regarding the department Pteridophytes are correct and which are incorrect.

–A. Ferns reproduce only sexually.

–B. Our ancestors knew that ferns reproduce by spores and never bloom.

–IN. All ferns are homosporous plants.

–G. The life cycle of ferns is dominated by the gametophyte.

10. Indicate which of the following four statements concerning the evolution of higher spore plants are correct and which are incorrect.

–A. Horsetails evolved from lycophytes.

+B. Coal was formed from ancient higher spore plants.

–IN. The gametophyte of rhiniophytes has been well studied.

+G. The predominance of the gametophyte in the life cycle of many spore plants “slowed down” their further historical development.

11. Mark which of the following four statements concerning the structural features and life activity of higher spore plants are correct and which are incorrect.

+A. Leafy mosses are better adapted to terrestrial habitats than thallous mosses.

+B. Cavities in horsetail stems can be filled with water.

–IN. The gametophyte of club mosses is capable of photosynthesis.

–G. Coal deposits were formed from extinct mosses.

12. Indicate which of the following four statements regarding algal cell pigments are correct and which are incorrect.

+A. Iodine is obtained from red algae.

–B. Agar is obtained from green algae.

–IN. Laminaria is a diatom.

+G. The silica shell of diatoms consists of two parts that overlap each other.

Option 4

When writing down answers to test items, circle the letters that correspond to the statements that you think are correct and cross out the letters that correspond to the statements that you think are incorrect. For example, if you think statements A and B are correct and statements B and D are incorrect, write down

–IN. Spores are formed in gametangia.

+G. The pigment chlorophyll is found in chloroplasts.

3. Choose the correct statement regarding higher disputes.

–A. Higher spores include multicellular algae.

+B. Higher spore plants grow in Ukraine.

–IN. Brown algae are among the higher spores.

–G. Higher spore plants serve as the basis for benthos and plankton.

4. Mark which of the following four statements concerning lower plants are correct and which are incorrect.

+A. Gametes are formed in gametangia.

–B. The motile gamete is called a zoospore.

+IN. Spirogyra is a green algae.

+G. Diatoms have a shell on the surface of the thallus.

5. Indicate which of the following four statements regarding the department Red algae are correct and which are incorrect.

–A. Red algae live mainly in fresh water bodies.

+B. Red algae reproduce vegetatively, by spores and sexually.

+IN. Medicinal products are made from red algae.

–G. Representatives of this division of algae have flagella.

6. Mark which of the following four statements regarding the Bryophyta department are correct and which are incorrect.

–A. Brood baskets of thallus mosses serve for sexual reproduction.

–B. Sphagnum contains only living cells.

–IN. All bryophytes serve as food for animals.

+G. Mosses take part in the formation of peat.

7. Indicate which of the following four statements regarding the Moss-moss department are correct and which are incorrect.

+A. The sporophyte predominates in the life cycle of mosses.

–B. Moss mosses are woody and shrubby plants.

+IN. Moss mosses have real roots.

–G. The club moss belongs to the heterosporous lycophytes.

8. Mark which of the following four statements regarding the section Equiformes are correct and which are incorrect.

–A. Horsetail spores develop on the gametophyte.

+B. Horsetails come from rhyniophytes.

–IN. Intercalary growth occurs due to the integumentary tissue of horsetails.

+G. In Ukraine, horsetail can be found reaching 1 meter in height.

9. Indicate which of the following four statements regarding the department Pteridophytes are correct and which are incorrect.

–A. Modern ferns are primarily tree-like plants.

–B. Ovules are produced in antheridia.

+IN. The fern gametophyte is attached to the soil by rhizoids.

+G. Fertilization in ferns occurs in water.

10. Indicate which of the following four statements regarding the use of higher spore plants are correct and which are incorrect.

–A. Mosses improve aeration of marshy soils.

–B. Moss moss stems impregnated with silica are used for grinding metal.

–IN. Spontaneous combustion of ferns in swamps can cause forest fires.

–G. Horsetail spores, containing up to 50% oil, are used to sprinkle tablets.

11. Mark which of the following four statements concerning higher spore plants listed in the Red Book of Ukraine are correct and which are incorrect.

+A. Maidenhair maidenhair lives in Crimea.

+B. Marsilia quatrefoil belongs to heterosporous ferns.

–IN. Horsetail is found in the Nikolaev region.

–G. Batrachospermum is a relict clubmoss.

12. Indicate which of the following four statements regarding sporophytes of higher spore plants are correct and which are incorrect.

+A. Sporangia develop on sporophytes.

–B. Ferns are characterized by the formation of strobili on sporophytes.

+IN. In heterosporous plants, microspores and megaspores develop on the same sporophyte.

+G. Heterosporous ferns are common perennials, shadow lovers and moisture.

The picture shows psilophytes - extinct plants.

Using a fragment of a geochronological table, establish the era and period in which these organisms appeared, as well as a possible ancestor of the plant division level.

Indicate by what characteristics psilophytes are classified as higher spore plants.

Geochronological table

ERA, age in million years	Period	Vegetable world
Mesozoic, 240	Chalk	Angiosperms appear and spread; Ferns and gymnosperms are declining
	Yura	Modern gymnosperms dominate, ancient gymnosperms die out
	Triassic	Ancient gymnosperms dominate; modern gymnosperms appear; seed ferns are dying out
Paleozoic, 570	Permian	Ancient gymnosperms appear; a wide variety of seed and herbaceous ferns; tree horsetails, club mosses and ferns are dying out
	Carbon	The flowering of tree ferns, club mosses and horsetails (forming “coal forests”); seed ferns appear; psilophytes disappear
	Devonian	Development and then extinction of psilophytes; the emergence of the main groups of spore plants - lycophytes, horsetails, ferns; the appearance of the first primitive gymnosperms; occurrence of fungi
	Silur	Algae dominance; the emergence of plants on land - the appearance of rhiniophytes (psilophytes)
	Ordovician	Algae bloom
	Cambrian	Divergent evolution of algae; emergence of multicellular forms
Proterozoic, 2600		Blue-green and green unicellular algae and bacteria are widespread; red algae appears

Explanation.

Let's use the table and find psilophytes in the third column; We determine by the second and first columns the era and period when psilophytes lived

Answer:

1) Era: Paleozoic

Period: Silurian

2) The ancestors of psilophytes are multicellular green algae.

3) The characteristics of higher spore plants are:

Dividing the body into two parts - aboveground and underground

The presence of multicellular reproductive organs - sexual (gametangia) and asexual (sporangium)

Primitive conductive system, integumentary tissue

Note.

Psilophytes had a tree-like shape; individual thread-like processes served them to attach to the soil and absorb water and minerals from it. Along with the formation of a semblance of roots, stems and a primitive conducting system, psilophytes have developed integumentary tissue that protects them from drying out.

Higher plants are multicellular phototrophic organisms adapted to life in a terrestrial environment and characterized by the correct alternation of sexual and asexual generations and the presence of differentiated tissues and organs.

The main characteristics that distinguish higher plants from lower ones:

Adaptation to living in a terrestrial environment;

The presence of clearly differentiated tissues that perform specific specialized functions;

The presence of multicellular reproductive organs - sexual (gametangia) and asexual (sporangium). Male gametangia of higher plants are called antheridia, female gametangia are called archegonia. Gametangia of higher plants (unlike lower ones) are protected by membranes of sterile (sterile) cells and (in certain groups of plants) can be reduced, i.e. reduced and simplified;

Transformation of the zygote into a typical multicellular embryo, the cells of which are initially undifferentiated, but are genetically determined to specialize in a certain direction;

Correct alternation of two generations - haploid sexual (gametophyte), developing from a spore, and diploid asexual (sporophyte), developing from a zygote;

Dominance in the sporophyte life cycle (in all divisions except Bryophytes);

Division of the sporophyte body (in most departments of higher plants) into specialized vegetative organs - root, stem and leaves.

Source: Unified State Exam - 2018, I will solve the Unified State Exam

Valeria Rudenko 15.06.2018 16:32

Hello. I don’t understand, how should we determine the ancestor of plants? Why do we take multicellular green algae?

Natalia Evgenievna Bashtannik

We use biological knowledge, and the drawing shows weak differentiation of the body

Vasily Rogozhin 09.03.2019 13:39

Of course, the ancestors of psilophytes, like all higher plants, are not ancient Green algae, but Characeae, which now form an independent department.

And in addition to the answer about the differences between higher plants and lower ones, it is worth noting that “the presence of clearly differentiated tissues” is not absolute today hallmark these groups of plants. Brown algae, for example, belonging to lower plants, have true tissues (tissue type of differentiation of the thallus). The presence of organs - yes, this is a sign only of higher plants, but both higher and lower plants can have real tissues.

Does everyone know which plants are called higher? This type has its own characteristics. Today, higher plants include:

• Moss mosses.
• Ferns.
• Horsetails.
• Gymnosperms.
• Angiosperms.

There are more than 285 species of such plants. They are distinguished by a much higher organization. Their bodies contain shoot and root (except mosses).

Characteristics

Higher plants live on earth. This habitat is different from the aquatic environment.

Characteristics of higher plants:

• The body consists of tissues and organs.
• With the help of vegetative organs, nutrition and metabolic functions are carried out.
• Gymnosperms and angiosperms reproduce using seeds.

Most of the higher plants have roots, stems and leaves. Their organs are complexly built. This species has cells (tracheids), vessels, and their integumentary tissues form a complex system.

The main feature of higher plants is that they pass from the haploid phase to the diploid phase, and vice versa.

Origin of higher plants

All the signs of higher plants indicate that they may have evolved from algae. Extinct representatives belonging to the highest group are very similar to algae. They have a similar alternation of generations and many other characteristics.

There is a theory that higher plants appeared from or freshwater. Rhinophytes appeared first. When the plants moved to land, they began to develop rapidly. Mosses were not found to be as viable as they require water in the form of droplets to survive. Because of this, they appear in places where there is high humidity.

Today, plants have spread throughout the planet. They can be seen in the desert, tropics and cold areas. They form forests, swamps, meadows.

Despite the fact that when thinking about which plants are called higher, one can name thousands of options, they can still be combined into some groups.

Mosses

When figuring out which plants are called higher, we must not forget about mosses. There are about 10,000 species of them in nature. Outwardly it is small plant, its length does not exceed 5 cm.

Mosses do not bloom, they do not have a root or a conducting system. Reproduction occurs using spores. The haploid gametophyte predominates in the life cycle of mosses. This is a plant that lives for several years and may have outgrowths similar to roots. But the sporophyte of mosses does not live long, it dries out, has only a stalk, a capsule where spores mature. The structure of these representatives of wildlife is simple; they do not know how to take root.

Mosses play the following role in nature:

• They create a special biocenosis.
• The cover of moss absorbs radioactive substances and retains them.
• They regulate the water balance of landscapes by absorbing water.
• They protect the soil from erosion, which allows for even transfer of water flow.
• Some types of mosses are used for medicinal preparations.
• With the help peat is formed.

Moss-shaped plants

In addition to mosses, there are other higher plants. The examples may be different, but they are all somewhat similar to each other. For example, mosses resemble mosses, but their evolution is more advanced, since these are vascular species. They consist of stems that are covered with small leaves. They have roots and vascular tissue through which nutrition occurs. In the presence of these components, mosses are very similar to ferns.

In the tropics, epiphytic mosses are distinguished. They hang from trees, creating a fringed appearance. Such plants have the same spores.

Some clubmoss plants are listed in the Red Book.

Psilote plants

This type of plant lives for more than one year. This includes 2 genera of representatives of the tropics. They have erect stems similar to rhizomes. But they have no real roots. The conducting system is located in the stem and consists of phloem and xylem. But water does not enter the leaf-shaped appendages of plants.

Photosynthesis occurs in the stems, and spores are formed on the branches, which turn into cylindrical branches.

Ferns

What plants are also called higher? These include ferns included in the vascular department. They are herbaceous and woody.

The body of the fern includes:

• Petiole.
• Leaf plates.
• Roots and shoots.

The fern leaves were called fronds. The stem is usually short, and fronds grow from the buds of the rhizome. They reach large sizes, perform sporulation and photosynthesis.

The life cycle alternates between sporophyte and gametophyte. There are some theories that suggest that ferns evolved from mosses. Although there are scientists who believe that many higher plants originated from psilophytes.

Many types of ferns are food for animals, and some are poisonous. Despite this, such plants are used in medicine.

Equisetaceae

Higher plants also include horsetails. They consist of segments and nodes, which distinguishes them from other plants of a higher species. Horsetail representatives resemble some conifers and algae.

This is a kind of representative of living nature. They have vegetative characteristics similar to cereals. The length of the stems can be several centimeters, and sometimes grows up to several meters.

Gymnosperms

Gymnosperms are also distinguished from higher plants. Today there are few types of them. Despite this, various scientists have argued that angiosperms evolved from gymnosperms. This is evidenced by various plant remains found. DNA studies were carried out, after which some scientists came up with theories that this species belongs to a monophyletic group. They are also divided into many classes and departments.

Angiosperms

These plants are also called flowering plants. They are classified as a higher species. They differ from other representatives by the presence of a flower, which serves for reproduction. They have a feature - double fertilization.

The flower attracts pollination agents. The walls of the ovary grow, change, and turn into a fruit. This occurs if fertilization has occurred.

So, there are different higher plants. Examples of them can be listed for a long time, but they were all disbanded into certain groups.