Bryophyte

Bryophytes are simple plants. They are the simplest plants that grow on land. There are three forms of bryophyte. These are mosses, liverworts and hornworts.

Bryophyta is the formal term for this division of plants who do not have tissues to move water. In some modern classifications the word bryophyta only includes mosses. However, the term is still useful because mosses, liverworts, and hornworts share important traits.

Scientists think that liverworts evolved from green algae. Then other plants, including moss and hornworts, evolved from liverworts.

A person who studies bryophytes is called a bryologist. The study of bryophytes is named bryology.