Question

18. Differentiate between the following:
a. Liverworts and moss
b. Homosporous and heterosporous​

Answer 1

Answer:

a.

Liverworts are associated with the division Marchantiophyta, whereas Mosses are associated with division Bryophyta.

Both are non- vascular plants and prefer to grow in wet environment. Earlier liverworts were also included under Bryophyta but not under seperate division called Marchantiophyta.

1.Liverworts can be either Foliose ( leaf like) or thallose, but mosses are only Foliose.

2. In the Foliose liverwort the mid rib is absent, whereas in mosses mid rib is present.

3. Rhizoids of liverworts are Unicellular and that of mosses are multicellular.

b. Homosporous (homo: Same/similar; sporous: spores) when identical spores of only one kind are produced it is called homosporous. These grow into both male and female gametophyte.

Heterosporous (Hetero: different) Two different kinds of spores are produced. The male produce smaller spores called microspores that develop into male gametophyte (n) and female spores are larger spores in size and are called megaspore which develop into female gametophyte.

Hope this helps!