(Universidade do Estado do Amazonas, 2019-10-04) Felipe, Amanda Farias; Uguen, Katell
Pteridophytes are seedless vascular species, producing spores and with marked alternation of generations, presenting two distinct and independent types of plants, one gametophytic and the other sporophytic, the latter being the most visible, vascularized and called dominant. Pteridophytes are popularly known as: ferns, tree ferns, ferns and horsetails. Morphologically, Ferns have roots, rhizome-like stems in most species, leaves or staff, sori, sporangia and spores. This group is considered very old in evolutionary terms, having formed well before angiosperms and gymnosperms (RAVEN; EVERT; EICHHORN, 2007).
Historically, man's interest in pteridophytes is very old, in the first place, the need for the search for food on the part of primitive man was highlighted. Secondly, the relationship with its application for the cure of diseases, it was used for affections, and thirdly for its ornamental value (BLANCH et al., 2010).
Pteridophyte species are found mainly in tropical, subtropical and even temperate regions, often occurring in relatively humid environments, as they still need water for fertilization (WINDISCH, 1992).
