PTEROPHYTA PSILOPHYT ES A N A T O M I C A L

Leaves lack vascular strand

LYCOPHYTES

EQUISETOPHY TES
Have ribbed stem, that is often associated with a hollow canals. The ribbed stems contain epidermal cells that are impregnated with silica. The stems are hollow with cross walls called septa. Equisetum are unique among vascular plants in containing chloroplasts and unique among land plants in having four or more unusual appendages called elaters

OPHIOGLOSSALES

MARATTIALE S
The sporangia of marattiales are eusporangia te, like those of all vascular plants except for the leptosporangi ate ferns. In some of marattiales, the sporangia are fused into a common structure, a synangium. A distinctive apomorphy of marattiales is the occurrence of a polycylic siphonostele , which appears as concentric rings of siphonosteles in cross section

POLYPODIALES

The roots have an endarch protoxylem. The protoxylem refers to the first tracheary cells that develop within a patch of xylem and that are typically smaller and thinner cell walls than the later walls metaxylem. The protoxylem forms in a position interior to metaxylem. The stem of the lycophytes have exarch protoxylem. In the stems of lycophytes, the protoxylem forms exterior to metaxylem. They have sporophytic leaf structural type known as lycophyll. It is characterized as having an intercalary meristem and lacking a gap in the vasculature of the stem.

They are heterotrophic. Contain mycorrhizal fungi and are often subtarranean. They have eusporangium. It is derived from several epidermal cells, and has a sporangial wall comprised of more than one cell layer.

M O R P H O L O G I C A L

Consists of horizontal, aerial, photosynth etic rhizomes Lack true roots Leaves are peglike and reduced in size Reproduces by means of spores called synangia at the tips of short branches (whisk ferns) Generally consists of dichotomou s stems

Have no leaves but possessed lateral sporangia (Zosterophylls) Woody trees (Lepidodendro Sigillaria now extinct)

In Carboniferous period, approximately 300 years ago, equisetales were large woody trees. They have reduced, whorled leaves that are usually marginally fused by sporangiopho res. Equisitum species generally have an extensive underground rhizome system with an adventitious roots.

The ophioglossoid ferns are unique in that each leaf consists of a sterile segment, which contains the photosynthethic blade lamina, and a fertile segment. The underground rhizomes which gives rise to the unbranched roots lack root hairs and root branch.

They are similar to Polypodiales or leptosporangi ate ferns in general form, having large pinnate or bipinnate leaves with circinate vernation, sporangia located on the abaxial surface of the leaflets blades.

Most leptosporangiate ferns have a horizontal stem, the rhizome, which is underground but may sprawl at ground level. Some of them have erect aerial stem, which in the socalled tree ferns can attain heights of 100 feet. A few are vines, with weak stems that sprawl on the ground or upon another plant. The leaves of ferns come in a great variety of forms