Bryophytes are non-vascular terrestrial plants of moist habitats in which a multicellular diploid sporophyte lives as a parasite on an independent multicellular haploid gametophyte that develops multicellular jacketed sex
organs. The gametophyte may be thallose or foliose. It may have root like, stem like and leaf like structures but true roots, stems and leaves are absent. Multicellular jacketed sex organs develop on gametophyte. Bryophytes are classified into liverworts (e.g., Marchantia), homworts (e.g., Anthoceros) and mosses (e.g., Polytrichum).
They are called amphibians of plant kingdom because they can grow in moist soil but depend on a external film of water for fertilization. They produce flagellated male gametes which must swim in water to reach egg cell in archegonium.