🌿 Bryophytes: Amphibians of the Plant Kingdom (NEET 2025 Must-Know)

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Introduction

Have you ever wondered why some plants live like amphibians—half in water, half on land? 🤔 Bryophytes are exactly that! They’re called the amphibians of the plant kingdom because they need water for reproduction but also thrive on land. For NEET 2025, understanding bryophytes is crucial, as they connect algae with higher plants and appear in every exam cycle.


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🧠 Why Bryophytes Are Amphibians of Plants

Bryophytes live in shady, moist habitats, but unlike algae, they have multicellular sex organs. Still, their sperm need water to swim toward the egg. This water dependency makes them amphibians.

👉 NEET Tip: This question is frequently asked! Remember: water is essential for fertilization in bryophytes.


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🌱 Main Groups of Bryophytes

You’ll see bryophytes divided into three main classes, and remembering them is super easy with a mnemonic.

1. Liverworts (Marchantiophyta)

Example: Marchantia

Body is flat, thalloid, and lobed like a liver.



2. Mosses (Bryophyta)

Example: Funaria

Leafy, upright, with distinct stem-like and leaf-like structures.



3. Hornworts (Anthocerotophyta)

Example: Anthoceros

Sporophyte is elongated like a horn.




👉 Exam Hack: Always associate Marchantia = liver, Funaria = moss, Anthoceros = horn.


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🌍 Ecological Importance of Bryophytes

Soil Formation: Bryophytes break down rocks and help form soil.

Moisture Retention: They act like sponges, holding water in the environment.

Peat Formation: Moss (Sphagnum) forms peat, used as fuel and soil conditioner.


👉 Fun fact: Sphagnum can hold 20 times its dry weight in water. Imagine a tiny moss acting like a huge water tank!


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📖 Life Cycle of Bryophytes (Important for NEET)

Bryophytes show alternation of generations with two phases:

Gametophyte (n): Dominant, photosynthetic, independent.

Sporophyte (2n): Dependent on gametophyte, consists of foot, seta, capsule.


👉 Key Point: In bryophytes, gametophyte is dominant (unlike higher plants where sporophyte dominates).


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📝 Quick Revision Notes for NEET

Amphibians of plant kingdom → Bryophytes.

Need water for fertilization.

Classes: Liverworts, Mosses, Hornworts.

Dominant generation → Gametophyte.

Example-based Qs are very common (Marchantia, Funaria, Anthoceros, Sphagnum).



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🎯 Practice Question

Q. Why are bryophytes called amphibians of the plant kingdom?
Ans: Because they live on land but require water for fertilization.

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