Pteridophytes (ferns and lycophytes) are free-sporing vascular plants that have a life cycle with alternating, free-living gametophyte and sporophyte phases that are independent at maturity.
Pteridophytes are the first vascular cryptogams having true roots, stems, and leaves. Pteridophytes have a primarily dominant and autotrophic generation of sporophyte, which is diploid.
Pteridophytes (Greek. pteron=feather, and phyton=plant) constitute one of the most primitive seedless vascular plants that reproduce using spores and have neither flowers, fruits nor seeds. Ernst Hackel called these groups of plants pteridophytes because of their pinnate or feather-like fronds.
Pteridophytes are also referred to as “Botanical Snakes” or “Snakes of the Plant Kingdom.” This metaphor highlights their ancient and somewhat mysterious nature in the plant world.
Pteridophytes constitute a significant and important group in the plant kingdom. As the first true land plants, they offer a very favourable material for the study of various adaptations that have made the colonization of land possible for the plants.
Pteridophytes are a diverse group of seedless, vascular plants. They evolved roughly 400 million years ago, distinguishing them from simpler, non-vascular plants like mosses and liverworts.
Along with the club mosses, ferns and horsetails are part of a group called Pteridophytes. This group includes all vascular plants that reproduce through spores, rather than seeds.
Pteridophytes (ferns, lycophytes, and their extinct seed-free relatives) are a diverse group of plants that today comprises approximately 12,000 species and plays a major role in terrestrial ecosystems.
Pteridophytes are a group of seedless, spore-producing vascular plants that have successfully adapted to life on land (first true land plants), typically growing on moist and humid habitats.