Origin of the Bryophyta

Abstract

  Conclusion of Goebel (1930) and Bower (1935) that the Bryophyta are not connected with any other taxon, either upwards or downwards, has been reconfirmed. “Green Autotrophs” the ancestors of grass-green plants were at different levels of biochemical evolution or had different morphogenetic potentialities. Ancestors of modern green algae lacked in potential to develop a pyramidal apical cell, and an archegonium and meiosis was, as a rule, not defered, while the ancestors of the archegoniatae had this potential and meiosis was defered. Development of an interphase and an embryo became possible only in the Archegoniatae. The sporophyte of Archegoniatae arose as a dependent on the gametophyte with the advent of the archegonium and was never a free living entity. The gametangia in mosses in their pristine form were transformed ramuli, and are today homologous with the branches. The sporophyte in early Bryophyta, as is the case today, lacked the faculty to branch, develop lignin and become free; while the sporophyte of early Pteridophyta had this faculty. Alternation of generation in the Archegoniatae was from the very beginning antithetic.