Club mosses

Definition

Club mosses are ancient, seedless vascular plants belonging to the Lycopodiophyta division. They resemble true mosses but possess true roots, stems, and leaves.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Club mosses have microphylls, which are small leaves with a single vein.
2. They reproduce via spores rather than seeds or flowers.
3. Club mosses were dominant during the Carboniferous period and contributed to coal formation.
4. They typically grow in moist, shaded environments such as forests and wetlands.
5. Their sporophyte generation is the dominant life stage, unlike in true mosses where the gametophyte stage dominates.

Review Questions

• What type of leaves do club mosses have?
• How do club mosses reproduce?
• In what type of environments are club mosses commonly found?

Related terms

Lycopodiophyta: Division of seedless vascular plants that includes club mosses.

Sporophyte: The diploid, spore-producing phase in the life cycle of a plant.

Microphyll: A type of small leaf with a single unbranched vein found in some vascular plants like club mosses.