- scientifically, this is the Phylum Bryophyta
- includes mosses (moha) and liverworts (májmoha) (we won't really discuss these guys!)
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| http://blog.ctnews.com/connecticutpostings/2014/09/18/explore-the-world-of-mosses-at-flanders/ |
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| http://scienceforkids.kidipede.com/biology/plants/moss/ |
Characteristics
- they are thalloids, they don't have true tissues, therefore their size is limited
- mosses have small leaf-like structures, held by a stem, with rhizoids holding it to the ground
- gametophyte is the dominant stage in the alternation of generations
- water is very important: it is absorbed by the whole thallus (plant), it is needed for the male gamete to swim to the female gamete. (Mosses can withstand dryness, they just can't reproduce)
Image from http://www.biology.clc.uc.edu/courses/bio106/mosses.htm
-as you can see, the sporophyte (capsule on a stalk) grows out of the female gametophyte and is dependent on the gametophyte for food and water.
Image from http://www.learner.org/courses/essential/life/session4/closer1.html
Habitat, Ecology
- most species require humid, damp habitats in shady areas
- some species can handle long dry periods and reproduce quickly during the wet periods
- mosses are considered to be pioneer species
- some have economic importance, like Sphagnum (tőzeg) or peat moss, which is found in peat bogs (tőzegláp). It stores large amounts of water, so is often mixed with soil to improve it, some Native American tribes used to as natural diapers because it is so absorbant. It also has antiseptic properties. It is a protected species in Hungary. Image of peat moss or sphagnum:
And just so you know what it might look like, here is an image of a liverwort (they don't all look the same!):
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