Plants/ Contents

Bryophytes

Mohamed bin Abdul Majid

Bryophytes are the simplest of all land-dwelling plants. Comprising 16,000 species, they are the second most diverse plant group after flowering plants. They are divided into three classes: liverworts (Hepaticae), hornworts (Anthocerotae) and mosses (Musci). Their centres of greatest diversity are the tropical rainforests of South America and Southeast Asia. In Peninsular Malaysia and Borneo, there are an estimated 1,800 species, with over 1,000 on Mount Kinabalu alone.

  • Information in the full article includes
  • Growth habits
  • Liverworts (Hepaticae)
  • Hornworts (Anthocerotae)
  • Mosses (Musci)
  • Ecological and economic importance
Silver moss

A silver moss, Bryum argentum is widespread and often seen in crevices of buildings in the highlands.