Question

What do you understand by cryptogams and phanerogamae? Explain.

Answer 1

Hint: Cryptogams and phanerogams are two subkingdoms of kingdom plantae, which have been classified based on reproduction.

Complete answer:
A.W. Eichler, in 1883 classified the plant kingdom into cryptogams and phanerogams. Cryptogams are the plants which do not bear any seeds or flowers. They are lower plants and most of them don't have a vascular system.Cryptogamae refers to their mode of reproduction and it means hidden reproduction.They reproduce through different means. Vegeative reproduction by fragmentation, asexual reproduction by means of spores and sexual reproduction by fusion of male and female gametes.Cryptogams can be classified into thallophyta, bryophyta and pteridophyta. The best known groups of cryptogam are algae, lichen, mosses and ferns. Advanced cryptogams such as liverworts, mosses etc have two alternate generations known as sporophytic and gametophytic generations during their lifecycle. Asexual reproduction takes place in sphorophytic generation and gametophytic generation is charachterised by sexual reproduction. Cryptogams do not have well differentiated root, shoot and stem. They usually live in water and require external water for fertilization.
Phanerogamae are seed bearing plants. They are more advanced than cryptogam and they are terrestrial plants. Phanerogamae has a well differentiated root, shoot and leaf system. They are characterised by vascular systems, i.e. xylem and phloem and they are photoautotrophs which means synthesis food through photosynthesis..

Note: Carl Linnaeus divided the plant kingdom into 24 classes , one of which was cryptogamia. Examples of phanerogams are gymnosperms (which includes cycads, ginkgo, gnetophytes, coniferous etc.) and angiosperms( which are flowering plants such as mango, apple etc.). They are also known as spermatophytes.