Non-vascular Plants
Bryophytes — mosses and liverworts — are often grouped with lichens, perhaps because of their mutual small size and tendency to grow on trees and rocks. Mosses and liverworts photosynthesize but have poorly developed tubes for nutrient and water transport, and so remain small and rely on wet surroundings for a more immediate supply of water. Lichens are composed of fungi and microscopic algae living together symbiotically. The fungi provide structural support and protection for the algae, which live within the fungal tissues and provide nutrients through photosynthesis.
