Hornworts are a group
of non-vascular land plants that belong to the division Anthocerotophyta. They
are small, usually less than 5 centimeters tall, and have elongated sporophytes
that protrude like horns from the surface of the creeping gametophytes.
Hornworts have a single large chloroplast in each cell, resembling certain
algae more than plants, and their sporangia are elongated. Like other non-seed
land plants, hornworts rely on water for reproduction and survival.
There are approximately
100 species of Hornworts. These unique plants are named for their elongated
sporophytes that protrude like horns from the surface of the creeping
gametophytes. The gametophytes resemble those of Marchantia, but the sporophytes
differ significantly from those of liverworts due to their elongated sporangia.
Hornworts have a single large chloroplast in each cell, which resembles certain
algae more than plants. The archegonia and antheridia of hornworts are embedded
in the gametophyte thallus. Following fertilization, the sporophyte projects
out of the gametophyte tissues like a horn. It is not uncommon for a single
gametophyte plant to produce numerous sporophytes. Meiosis occurs within each
sporangium, resulting in the formation of spores.
Hornworts
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