Why Seedless Plants Are Important
The greatest influence of seedless plants on human society was in the formation of the fossil
fuel coal millions of years ago. Coal is burned to provide energy. But some seedless plants
still have uses in society today. Sphagnum, also called peat moss, is commonly used by
gardeners to improve soils since it has a great ability to absorb and hold water (Figure
10.17). Ferns are also a familiar fixture in many gardens. Besides being prized for their
ornamental value, the fiddleheads of certain species of ferns are used in gourmet food. Some
species of ferns, like the maidenhair fern, are believed by some people to have medicinal
qualities.
Figure 10.17: Sphagnum,or peat moss, is commonly added to soil to aid water retention.
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Lesson Summary
- Nonvascular seedless plants include mosses, liverworts, and hornworts.
- Vascular seedless plants include club mosses, ferns, whisk ferns, and horsetails.
- Nonvascular seedless plants tend to have a dominant gametophyte while vascular seed-
less plants tend to have a dominant sporophyte. - Mosses and ferns are used commonly in gardening.
Review Questions
- What is vascular tissue?
- What is an example of a nonvascular seedless plant?
- What is an example of a vascular seedless plant?