Hornwort

Ceratophyllum demersum

Hornworts are small, ancient plants that grow in damp places like soil, rocks, or tree bark. They don't have roots but help enrich the soil where they live.

Hábitat: Wetlands

Aspecto

The Hornwort is a small, flat plant, often appearing as a dark green, irregularly shaped patch clinging to moist soil or rocks. It distinguishes itself with slender, horn-like capsules (sporophytes) that grow upright from its base, releasing tiny spores.

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Hornwort

Categoría

Plantas

Rareza

Common

Peligro

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Datos interesantes

Hornworts are among Earth's oldest land plants, dating back over 400 million years!

Hornworts have unique internal cavities within their plant body, sometimes filled with helpful microscopic algae!

Their horn-shaped capsules can grow for weeks or even months, slowly releasing countless tiny spores!

Unlike most plants, each hornwort cell usually contains just one large, bowl-shaped chloroplast!

Habilidades especiales

Hornwort can partner with tiny cyanobacteria living inside its body, which helps it capture vital nitrogen from the air for growth.

Hornwort has a single large chloroplast in each cell, unlike most plants, which efficiently captures sunlight for energy.

Hornwort can release its spores from a unique horn-shaped capsule that continuously grows, allowing it to spread offspring widely.

Medidas y detalles

Altura: 1-5 cm
Extensión: 2-10 cm
Comestible: No
Toxicidad: Ninguna
Ciclo de vida: Perenne

Conexiones ecológicas

symbiotic with

Nostoc cyanobacterium

Nostoc punctiforme

Fixes nitrogen for hornwort's growth.

eaten by

Spanish slug

Arion vulgaris

Feeds on hornwort thalli.

eaten by

Green springtail

Isotoma viridis

Grazes on hornwort surfaces.

Rasgos

No vascular

Este rasgo caracteriza a las plantas que carecen de tejidos vasculares especializados (xilema y floema) para transportar agua y nutrientes.

Productor de esporas

Los organismos que producen esporas se reproducen liberando unidades reproductivas pequeñas, a menudo unicelulares, llamadas esporas.

Humedal

Este rasgo de hábitat identifica especies que se encuentran en humedales, que son áreas de tierra saturadas de agua, ya sea permanente o estacionalmente, e incluyen marismas, pantanos y ciénagas.