News from IAB

The mission of the International Association of Bryologists (IAB), as a society, is to strengthen bryology by encouraging interactions among all persons interested in byophytes.

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

What is Bryology / a Bryologist?

Bryology is the study of mosses, liverworts, and hornworts (otherwise known collectively as Bryophytes).
Bryophytes are green land plants; there are approximately 15,000 species (9000 mosses, 5-6000 liverworts).
(The following text was adapted from Johnson, et al., 1995. Plants of the Western Boreal Forest & Aspen Parkland.) 

Most plants that people tend to think of are vascular (they contain internal tubes for transporting food and water within them) such as most house plants, flowering plants, etc. Bryophytes have poorly developed tubes - they are non-vascular plants. And, instead of reproducing with seeds, bryophytes reproduce using spores.

Because of the way bryophytes transport food and water, and because they require water for reproduction, bryophytes are small plants, and are most often abundant in wet places. However, many are quite drought tolerant and occur on trunks of trees, in forest canopies, and on dry rock surfaces.

2 comments:

  1. mooses on dry rocks, really...?

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    Replies
    1. its true have a few even Frullania!

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