bryofyter

Bryofyter is the Swedish term for bryophytes, a group of non-vascular land plants that includes mosses, liverworts and hornworts. They are among the earliest lineages to have colonized land and are found in a wide range of habitats, from forests and wetlands to rocks and urban environments.

Bryofyter are characterized by the absence of true vascular tissue (no xylem or phloem) and a reliance on diffusion for water and nutrient transport. They are typically small, with delicate, leafy or thalloid bodies. They use rhizoids rather than true roots to anchor to substrates. The life cycle features alternation of generations, with the haploid gametophyte being the dominant, photosynthetic stage, and a diploid sporophyte that grows on the gametophyte and is often dependent on it for nutrition. Fertilization requires a film of water for the sperm to swim to the egg, and spores produced in sporangia give rise to new gametophytes.

Taxonomically, bryophytes are divided into three main groups: mosses (Bryophyta), liverworts (Marchantiophyta), and hornworts (Anthocerotophyta). Mosses typically have leafy, filamentous shoots; liverworts can be leafy or thallose; hornworts have a simple thallus and horn-like sporophytes. In many ecosystems, bryophytes contribute to soil formation, moisture retention, and habitat structure, and they play a role in nutrient cycling and carbon storage, especially in peatlands formed by mosses such as Sphagnum. They are often used as bioindicators of environmental conditions, including humidity and air quality.

Bryofyter are widespread, inhabiting temperate to tropical regions, and can persist in varying moisture conditions. Their study provides insights into plant evolution, ecology, and the functioning of many ecosystems.