20.2: Introduction to Bryophytes

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Bryophytes arose in a period of Earth’s history before soils had formed. The terrestrial surface was rocky and consisted primarily of crusts (microbial mats) composed of assemblages of prokaryotes. The exposure to sunlight would have been intense relative to the buffer provided by water. In addition, being surrounded by water would provide regulation of surrounding temperature and structural support. As green algae began to colonize the terrestrial surface, at least one of these lineages accumulated adaptations that were favorable to living on land--a waxy cuticle to prevent water loss, desiccation-resistant dispersal propagules called spores, and retention and feeding of the developing zygote. This lineage of green algae evolved into the ancestor of the bryophytes. This evolutionary group includes liverworts, mosses, and hornworts. These plants do not have true roots to absorb water, nor do they have vascular tissue to transport that water to other regions of the plant. Because of this, bryophytes tend to grow prostrate (close to the surface they are growing on) and stay quite small. They also tend to grow in moist areas where there is access to water and are reliant on water for the dispersal of gametes and fertilization. There are approximately 23,000 known extant species.

The evolutionary relationships between bryophyte lineages are currently unresolved.* Members of this group have the following characteristics:

Morphology: Multicellular, can be leafy or thalloid. Complex tissues, including an exterior protective layer. Root-like structures called rhizoids provide anchorage.
Cell wall composition: Cellulose
Chloroplasts: 2 membranes, pigments are chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, and carotenoids
Storage carbohydrate: Starch
Life cycle: Alternation of generations. Gametophyte dominant: sporophytes grow from and are nourished by the female gametophyte.
Ecology: Terrestrial, gametes are dispersed in water

*Note: As of 2019, much is unresolved on the early lineages of plants and who was first on land. Recent genetic analyses interpret bryophytes as being monophyletic, all deriving from a common ancestor that branched from the main line of plants. Read this open-access paper for further information: https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1323926111

Contributors and Attributions

Maria Morrow (College of the Redwoods)