cryptogam
/ˈkrɪptəˌɡæm/
noun
- A plant that reproduces by spores instead of seeds or flowers, such as ferns, mosses, and algae.
- Mosses are common cryptogams that grow on damp forest floors.
- In biology class, we learned that a fern is a cryptogam because it doesn't produce flowers or seeds.
- The scientist studied cryptogams like algae and liverworts in the pond ecosystem.