Also called the whisk ferns, these are the simplest of the vascular plants. The division of consists of two genera, Psilotum and Tmesipteris. As with angiosperms, plants of the Psilotophyta have vascular tissue (xylem and phloem), however, they are characterised by the lack of roots, and sometimes the lack of leaves. The plants consist of a small, underground, gametophyte, which lacks chlorophyll and has associations with mycorrhizal fungi. The have a life cycle similar to that of ferns, with motile sperm and a self-sustaining, photosynthetic sporophyte.
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