Wikiversity

Plant Divisions
(Phyla)

In botany, the equivalent of a Phylum is

called a Division. The Kingdom Plantae is
divided into 14 Divisions. A Division (pl.
Phyla) is the largest formal major grouping
within plant taxonomy below Kingdom.
 A sample of plant diversity.

This list is presented in alphabetical order,

and not in any systematic/evolutionary
arrangement.

Science is by no means static. There are

arguments of all sizes and shapes about
the taxonomy of the Plant Divisions. Other
sources may combine or split these listed
Divisions. However, at this time, the list
presented here should stand in good stead
for an introduction to the topic of plant
diversity.

There are approximately 250,000 plant

species that have been described by
science.

This list tries to give the following

information on each Division:

Division Name
A link to a subpage discussing that
Phylum in more detail (if it yet exists)
Name Meaning (in English)
 An English Common Name, where one is
in regular use
Distinguishing characteristics of plants
within the Division
An approximate number of species
described within that Division. Since
botany does not stand still, this number
can change.

You can also see Introduction to

Taxonomy for more on that topic.

Anthocerotophyta

Hornworts.

Anthocerotophyta
Name Meaning: Anthoceros-like plant

English Common Name: Hornworts

Major distinguishing characteristics: Horn-

shaped sporophytes, no vascular system

Approximate number of species

described: 100-300 or more

Bryophyta

Moss, a
bryophyte.

Bryophyta
Name Meaning: Bryum-like plant, moss
plant

English Common Name: Mosses

Major distinguishing characteristics:

Persistent unbranched sporophytes, no
vascular system

Approximate number of species

described: 12,000

Charophyta

Chara, a
Charophyte.

Charophyta
Name Meaning: Chara-like plant

English Common Name: Charophytes

Major distinguishing characteristics:

Approximate number of species

described: 1,000

Chlorophyta

A Chlorophyte.

Chlorophyta

Name Meaning: Yellow-green plant

English Common Name: Chlorophytes

Major distinguishing characteristics:
mainly autotrophs with exceptions and
have the same chlorophyll a and b
pigments as "higher" plant divisions

Approximate number of species

described: 7,000

Cycadophyta

Unidentified
cycad in
greenhouse.

Cycadophyta

Name Meaning: Cycas-like plant, palm-like

plant
English Common Name: Cycads

Major distinguishing characteristics:

Seeds, crown of compound leaves

Approximate number of species

described: 100 - 200

Ginkgophyta

Gingko biloba.

Ginkgophyta

Name Meaning: Ginkgo-like plant

English Common Name: Ginkgo,
maidenhair tree

Major distinguishing characteristics:

Seeds not protected by fruit

Approximate number of species

described: 1 living, about 50 extinct

Glaucophyta

A glaucophyte.

Glaucophyta

Name Meaning: Blue-green plant

English Common Name: Glaucophytes

Major distinguishing characteristics:

Approximate number of species

described: 13

Gnetophyta

Gnetum
scandens.

Gnetophyta

Name Meaning: Gnetum-like plant

English Common Name: Gnetophytes

Major distinguishing characteristics:

Seeds and woody vascular system with
vessels
Approximate number of species
described: 70

Lycopodiophyta (Lycophyta)

Clubmoss.

Lycopodiophyta (Lycophyta)

Name Meaning: Lycopodium-like plants,

wolf plant

English Common Name: Clubmosses,

spikemosses

Major distinguishing characteristics:

Microphyll leaves, vascular system
Approximate number of species
described: 1290 living

Magnoliophyta (Anthophyta)

Magnolia
virginiana.

Magnoliophyta

Name Meaning: Magnolia-like plant

English Common Name: Flowering plants,

angiosperms

Major distinguishing characteristics:

Flowers and fruit, vascular system with
vessels
Approximate number of species
described: 300,000

Marchantiophyta
(Hepatophyta)

Liverwort.

Marchantiophyta (Hepatophyta)

Name Meaning: Marchantia-like plant, liver

plant

English Common Name: Liverworts

Major distinguishing characteristics:

Ephemeral unbranched sporophytes, no
vascular system

Approximate number of species

described: 9,000

Pinophyta (Coniferophyta)

Taxus
wallichiana, the
Himalayan Yew,
a conifer.

Pinophyta (Coniferophyta)

Name Meaning: Pinus-like plant, cone-

bearing plant

English Common Name: Conifers

Major distinguishing characteristics:
Cones containing seeds and wood
composed of tracheids

Approximate number of species

described: 629 living

Pteridophyta

Tree fern fronds

and fiddlneck
(growing young
frond).

Pteridophyta (out-dated! The sub-

devisions Lycopodiophyta and
Euphyllophytina have been differentiated)

Name Meaning: Pteris-like plant, fern plant

English Common Name: ferns, horsetails

Major distinguishing characteristics:

Prothallus gametophytes, vascular system

Approximate number of species

described: 9,000

Other Resources
Tree of Life, Green Plants (http://tolweb.
org/Green_plants/2382)
Encyclopedia of life, Plantae (http://eol.o
rg/pages/281/overview)
Animal Phyla a companion piece to this
one
References
Wikipedia:Phylum

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This page was last edited on 10 January 2023, at

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