What are the salient features of pteridophyte?
Pteridophytes are vascular cryptogams i.e., plants of this group possess vascular tissue (i. e., xylem, and phloem) for the conduction of water and minerals and for the translocation of foods. They are flowerless and seedless plants. The general characters of pteridophytes are as following. I. Primary root is short-lived. It is replaced by adventitious roots. II. All vegetative parts possess vascular tissues. A cambium is altogether absent. In xylem trachea are absent and in phloem companion cells are absent. Pteridophytes show origin and evolution of stele {i.e., vascular tissue, pericycle, and if present the pith). IV. Pteridophytes are characterized by having only tracheids in their xylem and only sieve tube in their phloem. V. The main plant body is the sporophyte (diploid), usually differentiated into true roots, true stems, and true leaves. A stem is usually an underground rhizome or an erect trunk as in tree ferns. Leaves are large (megaphyllous) and variously shaped.
