Cryptogams The Hidden Kingdom

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  1. Sidmouth Nature13 August 2025 at 14:19

    This video is one of the key resources in the CRYPTOGAMS: SPORES AND MORE thread within the Sidmouth Nature project 'classroom'.

    The articles in this thread provide a comprehensive overview of cryptogams, a diverse group of organisms characterised by their reproduction through spores rather than seeds or flowers, earning them the name "hidden marriage." They explore three main categories: Pteridophytes, which include vascular plants like ferns and horsetails known for their ancient lineage and ecological roles in soil stabilisation; Bryophytes, encompassing non-vascular plants such as mosses and liverworts, highlighting their importance in water retention and as pioneering colonisers; and Thallophytes, focusing on lichens (symbiotic fusions of fungi and algae/cyanobacteria), fungi (nature's primary decomposers and recyclers), and slime moulds (unique protists vital for nutrient cycling), all of which play crucial, often unseen, roles in supporting Earth's ecosystems and offering insights into the planet's evolutionary history.

    You can access the full range of resources for this thread here:
    https://sidmouth-nature.uk/thread-title/Cryptogams%20Introduction

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