10 examples of non-flowering plants and how they reproduce

Flowers on plants are a common sight, which helps make the environment around you beautiful. They also play a vital role in the life of plants – facilitating reproduction. But did you know that not all plants have flowers? While they might not be as many as their flowering counterparts, non-flowering parts are an important part of the ecosystem. But which are some examples of non-flowering plants? And how do they produce?

Non-flowering have evolved long before the flowering plants and have been around for millions of years. But what are some examples of these “non-flowering” plants, and how exactly do they reproduce without flowers?

What are non-flowering plants called?

Non-flowering plants are usually referred to as gymnosperms. However, gymnosperms cover only plants that produce naked seeds, which are not covered by fruits. As a result, they also go by another name - cryptograms.

The name comes from the scientific term 'cryptogramae', which means hidden reproduction. Cryptograms refer to plants that reproduce through hidden means, i.e., in this case, pores.

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Examples of non-flowering plants you can find in nature

How many types of non-flowering plants are there? There are two main groups of non-flowering plants:

• Plants that produce through seeds
• Plants that produce through spores

There are several more classifications depending on other factors such as scientific groups and plant characteristics (for example, plants with roots and those without). Individual species of non-flowering plants are in the thousands. Below is a look at some of the most common non-flowering plants on earth:

1. Ferns

If you look up pictures of non-flowering plants with their names, you will surely come across ferns, one of the most common non-flowering plants. They are a class of vascular plants with roots, stems, and leaves. However, they do not produce flowers or seeds.

Instead, ferns reproduce through spores, which are proliferated from the leaves, causing new plants to germinate from the sites where the spores land. Some ferns also reproduce vegetatively, where new plant structure branch off and sprout from rhizomes (root systems) or leaf tips.

2. Mosses

Mosses (moss for singular) are non-flowering plants that commonly grow on surfaces such as rocks, trees, fallen logs, and buildings. They are nonvascular – they have leaves and stems but no true roots. Instead, they have rhizoids (root-like structures) that anchor them to their growing surfaces.

Mosses reproduce through spores, where sperms from the male structures are carried to female structures with the splashing water droplets from the rain. The spores are then released, with new plants growing from the landing sites (where conditions are favourable). Mosses can also reproduce vegetatively, where new plants emerge from the leaves or stems of the parent plant.

3. Cedar trees

Cedar trees are non-flowering plants that bear seeds instead flowers (or spores like some of their non-flowering counterparts). They are woody, vascular trees with functional roots, stems (large trunks) and leaves (needle-like). They are also part of evergreens – plants that stay green all year round without losing their leaves.

Cedar trees reproduce through seeds that are found in cones. The tree produces both male and female plants on the same plant. Pollen from the male cones is carried to the female cones by wind, after which they (male cones) disintegrate. On the other hand, the female grows to maturity before breaking open to disperse the seeds.

4. Cycads

Cycads are non-flowering, palm-like plants with a woody trunk and evergreen, pinnate leaves at the tree’s crown. They are ancient plants that appeared over 200 million years ago.

Cycads are cone-bearing plants which reproduce through seeds. They are dioecious - male and female cones grow on separate plants. Pollen from the male cones is then carried to the female ones (by wind), where fertilization occurs.

5. Liverworts

Liverworts are another example of non-flowering plants. They are very similar to mosses in that they are nonvascular plants with stems (usually weak), leaves (about one cell thick), and rhizoids that anchor them to growing surfaces but can’t absorb water or nutrients.

Liverworts also commonly grow on surfaces such as rocks, trees, fallen logs, and moist soils, although some are grown in gardens and pots. Another similarity with mosses is that liverworts are spore-bearing plants which reproduce through spores that are propagated by wind or water. Some liverwort plants also reproduce vegetatively, where a part of the plant branches off to form a new one.

6. Algae

Algae are non-flowering aquatic organisms which grow in ponds, slow-moving streams, and lakes. They are not considered plants since they lack stems, leaves, tree roots, and the specialized reproductive structures common with plants. However, they have plant-like features, such as the presence of chloroplasts in their cells, the production of food through photosynthesis, and oxygen production.

When it comes to reproduction, algae employ both sexual and asexual reproduction. Sexual reproduction involves the production of spores, while asexual reproduction involves vegetative growth through cell division or fragmentation.

7. Pine trees

Pines are non-flowering shrubs and, like cedars, part of the coniferous group of trees. They have distinct needle-like leaves, which are evergreen; as a result, the plant is commonly used as a Christmas tree since it has green leaves even during the winter season.

Pine trees reproduce through seeds borne in cones, with each plant producing male and female cones. The pollen from male cones is blown away by the wind, pollinating female cones on other plants. The female cones grow to maturity before splitting open to release the seeds.

8. Redwoods

Redwoods are large trees, part of the coniferous group of non-flowering plants. They are also known as sequoia trees and are considered to be the largest tree species in the world. They are native to the Northern California and Oregon regions.

Redwoods are part of the coniferous group of plants and thus reproduce through cone-bearing seeds. Male and female cones are borne on the same plant, with pollination occurring with the help of wind. When the female cones mature and ripen, they split open and release the seeds. Redwoods are known to release up to 100,000 seeds per year. However, only a few germinate due to disease, drought, and other factors.

9. Gingko trees

Gingko trees are non-flowering plants that native to China. They are an ancient species of trees, which are thought to have appeared around 290 million years ago, making them amongst the oldest tree species. And just like the Cycads, they are extant and are the only surviving species of the Ginkgoales order of plants.

Gingko trees are seed-bearing plants, which are dioecious – where some trees are male and others female. The male trees produce cones that contain pollen, while the female ones produce ovules. The pollen is carried from the cones to the ovules with the help of the wind, fertilizing them. After pollination, the ovules develop into seeds, which fall on the ground allowing new plants to germinate.

10. Horsetail plant

Horsetails, also known as snake grass or puzzle grass, is a non-flowering fern plant which belongs to the Equisetaceae genus. The plants can be both branching on un-branching, with the branching ones resembling a horse’s tail, hence the name. They are another ancient non-flowering plant which appeared over 100 million years ago.

Horsetails don’t have flowers or seeds. Instead, they reproduce through spores. However, some reproduce vegetatively, where new plants emerge from root tubers or rhizomes.

Quick facts about non-flowering plants

Most plants in the world produce flowers. However, there are several plants which don’t produce flowers. And while the examples of non-flowering plants given might not be as colourful, they are just as important to the ecosystem. Some of them have even been around for millions of years.

Tuko.co.ke published an article about the top 7 fastest-growing trees in Kenya. Most communities in Kenya have traditionally valued agroforestry for various reasons. One critical reason was that trees were considered holy and usually served as worship places. However, most indigenous trees take a long time to mature. Most of the fastest-growing trees in Kenya are, therefore, either exotic or improved versions of the indigenous ones.

A fast-growing tree may take up to five years or below to mature. The only challenge is that different areas of the country have different climatic conditions and soils. As a result, a tree that is fast-growing in one region may grow slowly in another part. Examples of fast-growing trees include acacia, eucalyptus, pine, African cypress, bamboo, Moringa Oleifera and Jacaranda

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Source: TUKO.co.ke

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