Horneophyton facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Horneophyton Temporal range: Early Devonian PreЄ Є O S D C P T J K Pg N
Schematic reconstruction of Horneophyton lignieri to show its growth habit
Scientific classification
Division:	†Horneophyta
Class:	†Horneophytopsida
Order:	†Horneophytales
Family:	†Horneophytaceae Kenrick & Crane (1997)
Genus:	†Horneophyton Bargh. & Darrah (1938)
Species
†H. lignieri (Kidst. & W.H.Lang) Bargh. & Darrah (1938)
Synonyms
Hornea Kidst. & W.H.Lang (1920) non Baker

Horneophyton is a genus of early Devonian fossil land plants. Its fossils are very common in the Rhynie chert. Both the sporophyte and a female gametophyte have been found as fossils. The sporophyte was about 20 cm tall, and the gametophyte was about 6 cm tall. It is not really a vascular plant. It had vascular tissue but the cells had thin walls.

Horneophyton had anatomy similar to the hornworts. It is also similar to the vascular plant Rhynia which lived at the same time. It might therefore be a missing link between the Bryophytes like hornworts and the vascular plants like Rhynia.

A piece of Rhynie chert has parts of many Horneophyton plants. The red circles show the bases of sporophytes.

See also

In Spanish: Horneophyton lignieri para niños