Cryp·to·ga·mia /ˌkrɪptəˈgæmɪə, ˈgem-/ 名詞



 Cryp·to·ga·mi·a n.; pl. Cryptogamiæ   Bot. The series or division of flowerless plants, or those never having true stamens and pistils, but propagated by spores of various kinds.
 Note: ☞ The subdivisions have been variously arranged. The following arrangement recognizes four classes: --
 I. {Pteridophyta, or Vascular Acrogens.} These include Ferns, Equiseta or Scouring rushes, Lycopodiaceæ or Club mosses, Selaginelleæ, and several other smaller orders. Here belonged also the extinct coal plants called Lepidodendron, Sigillaria, and Calamites.
 II. {Bryophita, or Cellular Acrogens}. These include Musci, or Mosses, Hepaticæ, or Scale mosses and Liverworts, and possibly Characeæ, the Stoneworts.
 III. {Algæ}, which are divided into Florideæ, the Red Seaweeds, and the orders Dictyoteæ, Oosporeæ, Zoosporeæ, Conjugatæ, Diatomaceæ, and Cryptophyceæ.
 IV. {Fungi}.  The molds, mildews, mushrooms, puffballs, etc., which are variously grouped into several subclasses and many orders. The Lichenes or Lichens are now considered to be of a mixed nature, each plant partly a Fungus and partly an Alga.

 ◄ ►


 Cryptogamia
      n : in former classification systems: one of two major plant
          divisions, including all plants that do not bear seeds:
          ferns, mosses, algae, fungi [ant: Phanerogamae]