Plant Kingdom - Bryophytes

Bryophytes are known as the 'amphibians of the plant kingdom' because they inhabit land but require $H_2O$ for sexual reproduction.

The plant body is thallus-like, prostrate or erect, and lacks true roots, stems, or leaves; it is attached to the substratum by unicellular or multicellular rhizoids.

The dominant phase of the life cycle is the haploid ($n$) gametophyte, which produces gametes.

The male sex organ is the antheridium, producing biflagellate antherozoids, and the female sex organ is the archegonium, which is flask-shaped and produces a single egg.

The zygote ($2n$) does not undergo reduction division immediately; it produces a multicellular sporophyte ($2n$) that remains attached to and dependent on the gametophyte.

Sporocytes within the capsule undergo meiosis to produce haploid spores ($n$), which germinate to form the gametophyte.

Liverworts (e.g., $Marchantia$) possess a thalloid body, while Mosses (e.g., $Funaria$) have a gametophyte consisting of two stages: the $protonema$ and the $leafy$ stage.