Check out these Nature Resources
Thallophyta
Essential Knowledge for NaturalistsThallophytes are the least complex forms of plant life: the fungi, algae and lichens that are ubiquitous on our planet Earth. They are literally everywhere, from the air we breath, to our water pipes, to the forest soil, and the bark of trees. These non-vascular plants are the lowest form of plant life.
Many are microscopic, and while interesting to the naturalist, they can be difficult to observe. These organisms, some of which are separated into their own kingdom by modern taxonomists, are either single-celled, or made up of an undifferentiated mass of cells, called a thalus (thus the phylum name, Thallophyta). As such, they do not have the typical plant parts that we observe, such as roots, stems, and leaves.
For more information about thallophytes, check out these web resources:
Smithsonian Institution's Algae Pages
Ohio State University's Fact sheet on Mushrooms of Ohio
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