Non-flowering Plant List

While studying the evolutionary process, it was found that non-flowering plants evolved long before the flowering varieties. In fact, we can say that non-flowering plants are one of the primitive forms of organisms on earth. Horsetails, ferns and pine trees are the commonly known non-flowering plants names, that we observe in and around our environment. Let's discuss in brief about non-flowering plants, their classification and their comparison with flowering varieties.

Definition of Non-flowering Plants
Non-flowering plants can be defined as those group of plants that do not produce flowers for reproduction. They are simpler in organization as compared to the flowering plants. Some still refer algae and fungi in the group of non-flowering plants. However, these are not true plants, as they lack true roots and leaves. Algae and fungi are varied organisms, which are classified in different divisions.

Comparing Flowering and Non-flowering Plants
Apart from the fact that flowering plants bear flowers, while non-flowering plants do not, there are several features that characterize both the plant groups. The difference between flowering and non-flowering plants are as follows:

• All flowering plants are advanced forms and have a vascular system, whereas non-flowering plants comprises both non-vascular forms (mosses) and vascular forms (ferns and pines).
• Flowering plants bear male and female parts, either in the same or different plant, while non-flowering plants do not have such striking plant parts.
• Majority of the flowering plants produce seeds for development of new plants, whereas majority of the non-flowering plants (with some exceptions) produce tiny spores for propagation.
• Seeds produced by flowering plants are enclosed in fruit, while this is not so in case of seeds derived from non-flowering plants.
• In flowering plants, the sporophyte phase is dominant, whereas in non-flowering plants, the sporophyte and gametophyte are either independent (ferns) or the gametophyte phase is dominant (moss).

Non-flowering Plants Reproduction
Based on the level of complexity, the mode of reproduction in non-flowering plants varies from one species to another. In most cases, non-flowering plants reproduce by means of spores and at times, by seeds and vegetative parts. The following is a list of reproduction modes for non-flowering plants:

Vegetative Propagation: Reproduction by vegetative parts takes place in both flowering and non-flowering plants. Over here, new plantlets are propagated with the help of leaves, stem and roots. Vegetative propagation is also referred to as cloning, as the new plants are exact copies of the parent plants. Non-flowering plants examples that reproduce by vegetative means include some species of ferns and conifers.

Spores: Spores are microscopic structures with a tough outer coat, which consist of one or more cells. As spores are minute and light, they get dispersed easily by the action of wind and other transporting mediums. When the spores land in a damp area where there is a favorable environment for germination, they sprout and develop into new plants. Ferns are non-flowering plants that reproduce by producing spores.

Seeds: Though it is a fact that most seeds are formed after sexual reproduction or fertilization, some plants bear seeds without the fusion of male and female gametes, a phenomenon called apomixis. Depending upon the species, non-flowering plants bear either sexually produced seeds or asexually produced seeds. The seeds are borne in cones and strobili. Examples of non-flowering plants that produce seeds are conifers and cycads.

Non-flowering Plants Classification
Previously, non-flowering plants and plant like organisms (algae, fungi, mosses, ferns, conifers) were categorized under cryptograms. At present, non-flowering plants are commonly known as gymnosperms, while flowering plants are called angiosperms. There are several types of non-flowering plants, which are classified as follows:

Bryophytes: Bryophytes, commonly known as mosses, are small and simplest forms of non-flowering plants. They mostly lack true roots and use small hair like structures for absorption of water and nutrients from the soil. You can find bryophytes growing in moist and swampy environment and on top of old woods and rocks. The three main divisions of bryophytes are Bryophyta (moss), Marchantiophyta (liverworts) and Anthocerophyta (hornworts).

Pteridophytes: Pteridophytes are simple, seedless vascular plants that do not bear flowers. They produce a large amount of spores underneath or at the side of the foliage for reproduction. Non-flowering plants belonging to pteridophytes have feather like leaves or fronds. Under pteridophytes, there are four main classes, namely, Psilopsida (psilotum), Lycopsida (club moss), Sphenopsida (horsetail) and Pteropsida (ferns).

Gymnosperms: Botanically, non-flowering seed producing plants are known as gymnosperms. Unlike flowering plants, their seeds are not enclosed in fruit (naked seeds). These plant groups are mostly evergreen, woody and bear needle-shaped leaves. The tallest tree, redwood belongs to this plant group. Gymnosperms are further classified into four classes, namely, Cycadopsida, Coniferopsida (or Pinopsida), Gnetopsida and Ginkgopsida.

List of Non-flowering Plants
The following is a list of the species of non-flowering plants that are found today, it also includes a few almost extinct species of non-flowering plants:

List of Non-flowering Bryophytes

• Marchantia
• Anuera
• Chiloscyphus
• Amblystegium
• Drepanocladus
• Polytrichum
• Tortula
• Desmatodon
• Orthotrichum
• Pohlia
• Plagiomnium
• Mnium
• Grimmia
• Funaria
• Dicranoweisia
• Fontinalis
• Bryum
• Brachythecium
• Aulacomnium

List of Non-flowering Pteridophytes

• Adiantum
• Isoetes
• Asplenium
• Lycopodium
• Athyrium
• Botrychium
• Lygodium
• Pellaea
• Cryptogramma
• Cheilanthes
• Cystopteris
• Dryopteris
• Osmunda
• Equisetum
• Ophioglossum
• Gymnocarpium
• Schizea
• Selaginella
• Thelypteris
• Trichomanes
• Woodsia
• Pteridium
• Polystichum
• Polypodium

List of Non-flowering Gymnosperms

• Sequoia
• Tsuga (Hemlock)
• Slash pine
• Cypress
• Podocarpus
• Yew (Taxus)
• Spruce
• Cedar
• Sensitive fern
• Ostrich fern
• Bracken fern
• Cinnamon fern
• Fir (Abies)
• Pinus (Pine)
• Juniperus
• Calocedrus
• Gnetum
• Ephedra
• Welwitschia
• Cycas
• Zamia
• Araucaria
• Cephalotaxus
• Sciadopitys
• Gingko

Non-flowering Plants for Gardening
Non-flowering plants enhance the aesthetic value of any landscape design. For formal gardens, non-flowering perennials like cycads and palm trees are mostly grown to create symmetry and demarcate the garden sections. You might also have noticed such non-flowering plants in the entrance and lawn boundaries. Their uniform growth habit and attractive canopy add symmetry to the landscape. If you want to create a uniform looking garden, you can opt for non-flowering bushes like junipers, boxwood and wax myrtle.

As far as maintenance is concerned, non-flowering plants perform well, even with less care. Hence, they are best options as houseplants than the flowering plants that require specific conditions for growth and blooming. Besides this, flowering plants require frequent repotting (especially after blooming season), which is not so in case of non-flowering plants. When it comes to non-flowering house plants, araucaria or Norfolk island pine are a hardy variety, which can adapt to a wide range of soil and growing conditions.

Overall, non-flowering plants are no less important than the flowering species in maintaining the biodiversity of a particular area. In addition to the above mentioned non-flowering plant list, you can find many other non-flowering species, out of which some are included in the endangered list. Also, several species of non-flowering plants are becoming extinct because of the changing climatic conditions.