Cryptogamae

• It includes those plants which do not produce external flowers or seeds . Thus, they are considered to bear hidden reproductive organs.
• Cryptogams are plants that produce spores to reproduce instead of seeds .
• These plants do not have flowers or fruits.

Cryptogams are further classified as thallophytes, bryophytes and pteridophytes.

a. Thallophytes:

• They are most primitive and simple plants . It is in the form of undivided thallus.
• Most algae are water growing or aquatic (both marine and fresh water), some are terrestrial i.e. live on land near moist places.
• It consists of red, green and brown algae.
• They are autotrophic in nature.
• Most members of this group manufacture their own food. But a few members like fungi are dependent on other sources of food.,
• Absence of vascular tissue.
• Unlike other plants, xylem and phloem are absent. etc
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For Example  

• Green algae - Ulothrix, Cladophora, Spirogyra, Ulva and Chara.
• Red algae - Batra,polysiphonia.
• Brown algae - Laminaria, Fucus, Sargassum.

b. Bryophytes:

• Brophytes are small multicellular green land plants. They are present in the shady damp places.
• They are also called “Amphibians of the Plant Kingdom”.
• Plants in this category do not have roots but have crude stems and leaves.
• They have “rhizoids” instead of roots which helps the plant to anchor to surface.
• A true vascular system is absent in them.
• Bryophytes are an informal division that consists of 3 groups of non-vascular plants, namely mosses, liverworts, and hornworts.
• An embryo is formed upon fertilisation.

c. teridophytes:

• They are found mainly in shady or damp places.
• These plants have no flowers and do not produce seeds.
• The plant body is made up of root, stem and leaves.
• They have well-developed vascular system(xylem and phloem) for the conduction of water and other substances, from one part of the plant body to other.
• Fertilised egg develops into embryo.

For Example: Equisetum, Pteris, Lycopodium