Overview of Plant Phyla

Major Groups of Plants

Non-Vascular Plants

• Phylum Hepaticophyta

  • Commonly known as Liverworts.

• Phylum Bryophyta

  • Commonly known as Mosses.

• Phylum Anthocerophyta

  • Commonly known as Hornworts.

Seedless Vascular Plants

• Phylum Psilotophyta

  • Commonly known as The Whisk Ferns.

• Phylum Lycophyta

  • Includes Ground Pines, Spike Mosses, and Quillworts:

  • Lycopodium

    • Known as Ground pines.

  • Selaginella

    • Known as Spike mosses.

  • Isoetes

    • Known as Quillworts.

• Phylum Equisetophyta

  • Commonly known as The Horsetails and Scouring Rushes.

• Phylum Polypodiophyta

  • Commonly known as The Ferns.

Gymnosperms

• Defined as the group of plants with exposed seeds.

• Phylum Pinophyta

  • Commonly known as The Conifers.

• Phylum Ginkgophyta

  • Commonly known as Ginkgo.

• Phylum Cycadophyta

  • Commonly known as The Cycads.

• Phylum Gnetophyta

  • Commonly known as The Gnetophytes.