Bryofyyttien

Bryofyyttien, commonly known in English as bryophytes, are non-vascular land plants that include mosses, liverworts, and hornworts. They are among the earliest lineages to colonize land and typically show a haploid-dominant gametophyte generation. Their sporophytes are usually small and dependent on the gametophyte. Bryophytes lack true vascular tissue and do not have well-developed roots.

Anatomically, bryophytes are usually small and simple, absorbing water and nutrients across their bodies and anchoring with rhizoids rather than true roots. The life cycle features alternation of generations, with the photosynthetic gametophyte producing male and female organs. Fertilization requires water, after which a sporophyte forms and releases spores.

Classification places bryophytes in three phyla: Bryophyta (mosses), Marchantiophyta (liverworts), and Anthocerotophyta (hornworts). Each group shows distinct forms—from mossy shoots to thalloid liverworts and horned sporophytes—yet all lack true vascular tissue.

Bryophytes occur worldwide, especially in moist habitats such as forests, wetlands, and tundra. They contribute to soil formation, influence moisture regimes, and store carbon in peatlands. They can colonize bare substrates and provide microhabitats for invertebrates and fungi, making them components of many terrestrial ecosystems.

Reproduction is both sexual and asexual; asexual strategies include fragmentation and, in liverworts, gemmae. In culture and industry, peat moss (a bryophyte) is widely used for horticulture and soil amendment. Studying bryophytes provides insights into early land plant evolution and terrestrial ecology.