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SYNOPSIS

1. Introduction
2. Classification
3. Character features of the divisions are as follows.
4. Economic importance of pteridophytes
a . Beneficial
activities
b. Harmful activites
5. Reference.

1. INTRODUCTION

This division includes higher Cryptogams and are also known as Vascular Cryptogams. The
term Cryptogams is an old name, which Linnaeus (1754) had suggested for all such non-
flowering plants, in which sexual reproduction was unknown at that time. The term 'Vascular'
is added due to the presence of conducting tissue, i.e., xylem and phloem to carry on the
functions of conduction of water and other food materials in plants. Their fossil record shows
that they were abundant in number and constituted the chief vegetation of the Land flora.
These were present în Paleozoic and Devonian era, some 35,00,000 years ago. Flowering
plants have been considered their descendants and occupied a lower position in the Plant-
Kingdom. So these are considered as primitive vascular plants.

2 .Classification of Pteridophytes
Pteridophytes constitute a significant and important group in the plant kingdoms as the first
true land plants. Pteridophytes are the "spore bearing vascular plants" and also called as
seedless vascular plants belong to the cryptogams. The term Pteridophytes is derived from
two words Pteron meaning feather and phyton meaning plant. Thus Pteridophytes are the
plants with feather like leaves. Their first traces were recognised in the Silurian period of the
late paleozoic age.
Pteridophytes occupy a transitional position between bryophytes and spermatophytes.Since
a long time vascular plants are usually divided into pteridophyta and spermatophyta.This
classification was based on the assumption that the former lack the seeds while for the latter
produced them. But the discovery of pteridophytes (seed
bearing ferns) broke down this artificial classification. In 1935, Sinnott introduced term
Tracheophyta to include all vascular plants. Tracheophyta are further divided into four main
groups Psilopsida, Lycopsida, Sphenopsida and Pteropsida. But it is not certain whether
these are divisions or classes.In 1953, Haupt considers them as classes in the division
Tracheophyta. While many other like Zimmermann (1930), Arnold (1947), Wardlaw (1952),
regard them as
divisions.

Arthur J. Eames (1936) classified Tracheophyta into four groups on the basis of nature and
relation of leaf and stem vascular anatomy and position of sporangia :-
Tippo (1942) called the 'groups' of Eames as sub-phylum. Wardlaw (1955) gave them the
rank of sub-division.A good number of botanists (Eames,1936; Darrah, 1939;
Campbell,1940; Arnold, 1949)
treat Pteridophyta as a single unit ( a division of plant kingdom) with four major groups
(subdivisions)
According to recommendation of I.C.B.N (1952), the name of the division should end in the
suffix-phyta, and the subdivision should end in the - opsida.

On this basis, Wardlaw (1955) divided the Pteridophytes into four divisions :

A fairly complete, and the present most accepted system of classification of vascular that is
based on Smith (1955), Bold (1957), Benson (1957), Zimmermann (1959)
Cronquist (1960), and Takhatajan (1964) may be referred to in outline form as follow.
 ● The characteristic features of the divisions are as follows :-

I. Psilophyta (Psilopsida)
● The plant body is a rootless sporophyte that differentiates into a subterranean
rhizome and an aerial erect shoot.

● Branching is dichotomous in both subterranean rhizome and aerial shoot.

● Rhizoids borne on the rhizome absorb water and nutrients from the soil.

● Leaves often absent or if present, they are spirally arranged scale like ( e.g.
Psilotum) or leaf-like appendages (e.g. Tmesipteris) are bone.

● The vascular tissue is of primitive type i.e., simple, cylindrical protostele with annular
or spiral tracheids.

● Secondary growth is absent.

● Sporangia are borne at the apex of the aerial shoots. They are either solitary (e.g.,
Rhynia) or in groups and terminal in position. There was nothing like that of
sporophyll.

● Sporangia always bearing the same type of spores i.e., they are homosporous

● The gametophyte is known only in Psilotum and Tmesipteris (living genera) while
unknown in Psilophytales.

● The gametophyte is cylindrical or branched, subterranean and colourless.

● Sex organs are partially embedded in the prothallus.

● Antherozoids are spirally coiled and multi-flagellated.

II. Lycophyta ( Lycopsida, Lepidophyta, Lycopodophyta,)

It includes both fossil (e.g., Lepidodendron) and living Pteridophytes five living genera e.g.,
Lycopodium, Phylloglossum, Isoetes, Stylites and Selaginella
● The plant body is sporophytic and can be differentiated into root, stem and leaves.

● The leaves are small (microphyllous), simple with a single mid vein.They are usually
spirally arranged, sometimes in opposite fashion and or even in whorls.

● In some cases the leaves are ligulate (e.g. Selaginella, Isoetes). The ligule is
present at the base of each leaf.

● The vascular tissue may be either in the form of plectostele, siphonostele or

sometimes even polystele. Leaf gaps are absent.
 ● Sporophylls are loosely arranged or aggregated to form strobilus or cones.

● Some members are homosporous ( e.g. Lycopodium) while others are

heterosporous (e.g. Selaginella).

● Heterosporous forms have endoscopic gametophytes while in homosporous forms

the gametophyte is exosporic.

● Antherozoids are biflagellate or multi-flagellate.

● Secondary growth does not take place except in Isoetes

III. Sphenophyta (Sphenopsida, Calamophyta, Arthrophyta)

It includes both fossil plants (e.g., Calamophyton, Sphenophyllum)
as well as living plants (e.g., Equisetum). It is represented by one
living genus Equisetum and about 18 extinct forms.

● The plant body is sporophytic and can be differentiated into root, stem and leaves.

● The stem in majority of the forms is long, jointed or articulated and is ribbed i.e.
having ridges and grooves. Stem is divisible into nodes and internodes and is
developed as upright aerial branches from the underground creeping rhizome.

● Leaves are thin, small, scaly brown and are arranged in transverse whorls at the
nodes of the aerial branches.

● Branches also develop in whorls from the axil of the scaly leaves.

● As the foliage leaves are reduced to scales, the process of photosynthesis is taken
up by the stem and hence it becomes green.

● The stem has a solid protostele (e.g., Sphenophyllum) or medullated protostele (e.g.,
Equisetum).

● The sporangia are borne on specialized appendages called sporangiophores (the

whole structure resembling but not homologous with a strobilus)

● Sporangia are developed at the apex of the fertile branches in whorls forming
compact cone.

● Most of the members are homosporous but some fossil forms are heterosporous
(e.g., Catamites).

● Gametophytes ( prothalli) may be monoecious or dioecious. Gametophytes are

exosporic and green.
 ● Antherozoids are large and multi-flagellate.

● The embryo is without suspensor and is exoscopic in nature.

IV. Pterophyta (Pteropsida, Filicophyta,)

It includes the plants which are commonly known as ‘ferns’. It is
represented by about 300 genera and more than 10000 species.

● They occur in all types of habitats. Majority of the ferns are terrestrial and prefer to
grow in moist and shady places. Some are aquatic (e.g.Azolla Salvinia Marsilea)
xerophytic (e.g. Adiantum emarginatum) epiphytic (e.g. Asplenium nidus), halophytic
(e.g. Acrostichum aureum) or climbing (e.g. Stenochlaena).

● Majority of the members (except some tree ferns (e.g., Angiopteris) have short and
stout rhizome. The rhizome may be creeping, upright or growing above the soil.

● Leaves are large, may be simple (e.g., Ophioglossum) or pinnately compound

(majority of the ferns for example, Pteridium, Marsilea, Adiantum etc.) and described
as fronds. Young fronds are circinately coiled.

● Leaves are ex-stipulate (e.g., Filicales) while stipulate in some other groups.

● The vascular cylinder varies from a protostele to a complicated type of siphonostele.

Solenostele, dictyostele and polystele are also found.

● Vegetative reproduction takes place by fragmentation (e.g., Adiantum, Pteridium),

stem tubers e.g., Marsilea), adventitious buds (e.g., Asplenium bulbiferum) or by
apogamy (e.g., Marsilea).

● Sporangia arise from placenta (a swollen cushion of cells) in groups (sori).

● Sori develop on the margins or abaxial surface of the leaves (sporophylls) or leaflets.

● Sori are protected by true (e.g.Marsilea) or false indusium (e.g. Adiantum, Pteris)

● The sporangial development may be leptosporangiate (e.g.,Osmunda) or

eusporangiate type (e.g. Ophioglossum).

● The sporangia in most cases have a distinct annulus and stomium.

● Members may be homosporous (e.g., Pteris, Adiantum etc.) or heterosporous

(e.g.Marsilea, Azolla Salvinia etc.).

● The gametophyte may be exosporic or endosporic.

 ● Antheridia and archegonia are partially or completely embedded in the
gametophyte. Antherozoids are multi-flagellated.

● Embryogeny largely endoscopic. Embryo may or may not have suspensor.

4.ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE OF PTERIDOPHYTES

About the economic importance of Pteridophyta it was earlier thought to be quite useless
group of Plant kingdom,however,variousmembers have been found to provide some useful
products as ornamentals, food, fibres, bio-fertilizers, medicines etc., however, some
activities are harmful also, which are as follows:

(A)Beneficial Activities

1. As Ornamental Plants-The leaves of several pteridophytes, especially ferns, make them

most preferred afterplants for gardens, green houses and lawns throughout the world. Some
of the important species valued for their ornamental and decorative values are species
ofAdiantum, Angiopteris, Asplenium, Alsophilla, Davallia, Marattia, Nephrolepis, Pteris,
Salvinia whereas commonly used ferns for preparing bouquet are species of Nephrolepis
and Pteris. Several species of Seleginella are used as ornamentals because of their
variously coloured, feathery, moss-like leaves, beauty of their foliage and branches. Also
due to periodic changes in their colour S. lepidophylla and S. sepens are admired as
curiosities besides S. lepidophylla is sold in dry state but when put in water it rejuvenates as
fresh green plat and is called "the resurrection plant". During Christmas time as wreaths and
other decoration Lycopodium obscurum is used and is commonly called "Christmas Green".
Several species of Lycopodium are grown as pendulous epiphytes as hanging baskets for
green houses, gardens and parks. Psilotum is another beautiful pteridophyte known as
"whisk-fern" gives a beautiful look due to its green, dichotomously branched, leafless
branching twigs.

2. As Food and Fodder-Pteridophytes used as food source being good sources of

starch, greens and additives is another important aspect where young circinately
coiled leaf tips of ferns are table delicacies. From the pulpy apical part of the caudex
of some species like Angiopteris, Cyathia and Marattia starch is obtained. In
Australia sporocarps of Marsilea drummondi are grounded into paste to make bread.
Likewise rhizomes of several species are cooked as vegetables. Fern species of
Matteuccia strruthiopteris is a common vegetable in Canada and USA which is
canned and frozen to be used at times. Species of Marsilea, a water fern, is used as
an important fodder to feed farm animals.

3. As Fibres From several species of ferns such as Ceiba pentandra, Cystodium sorbifolium
etc., soft fibres are produced which are used to stuff pillows etc.
4. As Handicrafts-From Lygodium stems baskets are made.

5. As Construction Material Several tree ferns provide good fencing material as stems and
rachises of ferns such as Cyathea angienis, C. magna are reinforced and used picket fences

(B) Harmful Activities

Besides useful activities some pteridophytes are found to be harmful.

1. Obnoxious Value-In spoiling waters of lakes and ponds some pteridophytes play very
important role. Salvinia and Pteridium aquilinum are the most obnoxious pteridophytes in this
regard. Species of Salvinia are very fast growing rapidly propagates by its free-floating, soft
and fragile rhizome filling the entire ponds, lakes, rivers or other water-bodies making water
unfit for any activity. Similarly, Pteridium aquilinum by its perennial rhizome rapidly colonizes
entire open forest land affecting almost all forest activities and being toxic it is responsible for
the death of the cattle.

2. As Weeds-Various pteridophytes such as water fern Salvinia is a trouble-some and

dangerous water weed in any water body.

Reference.
● Dr. Y.D. Tiagi