Mosses

Mosses are primitive plants that do not have roots. They were the first land plants to develop on our planet.

Mosses are small, evergreen plants, which means that they do not drop their leaves during the winter. Mosses have leaves and stems, but instead of roots they use small rhizoids to attach themselves to their growing surface. Plants use their leaves to gather moisture and nutrients. Mosses have no vascular tissue.

Mosses reproduce via spores. After being fertilized, the egg cell of a moss develops into a sporangium, which releases spores that develop into new moss plants. Because the fertilization of mosses requires water, they thrive only in wet, shady environments, such as the forest floor, bogs and riverbanks. 


Haircap moss with sporangia.

Lichens

Lichens have no distinct leaves, stems, or roots. Lichens consist of fungal mycelia and photosynthetic algae that live in close symbiosis with one another. The mycelium takes care of gathering water and nutrients, whereas the algal part of the lichen produces sugars in photosynthesis and gives some of them to the mycelium. Lichens reproduce via spores and detached lichen crumbs.

Reindeer lichen. The thallus or body of a lichen contains no distinguishable leaves, stem, flowers, or roots.