Cryptogamic covers, also known as cryptogams, are a type of plant life that includes mosses, liverworts, and hornworts. These plants are typically small and lack true roots, flowers, or seeds. Cryptogams are an important part of the ecosystem and provide food and shelter for many animals. In addition, cryptogams play a role in the decomposition of organic matter and help to recycle nutrients in the soil.
There are two main types of cryptogams: bryophytes and pteridophytes. Bryophytes include mosses and liverworts, while pteridophytes include ferns and horsetails. Bryophytes are non-vascular plants that typically grow close to the ground in moist environments. Liverworts are the simplest type of bryophyte; they often have a lobed or ribbon-like appearance and can be found in damp woods or on wet rocks. Mosses are slightly more complex than liverworts; they have specialized cells that allow them to absorb water more efficiently. Mosses can be found in a variety of habitats including forests, wetlands, tundra, and even deserts. Pteridophytes are vascular plants that have true leaves (known as fronds) but lack true stems or roots. Ferns make up the majority of pteridophytes; they can range in size from a few centimeters to over 10 meters tall! Horsetails are another type of pteridopyte; they typically grow in moist areas such as marshes or near streams/lakes.
Cryptogamic covers play an important role in the environment by providing food and shelter for many animals (including invertebrates), recycling nutrients back into the soil, stabilizing soils against erosion, etcetera… They also have several economic uses such as being used as mulch/fertilizer by farmers/gardeners or being harvested for use in horticulture (e.g., sphagnum moss is commonly used as a potting medium).