1. Pteridophyta are green, omnivorous and self-sufficient plants.
2. They are non-flowering and asexual plants.
3. They are mainly sporophyte plants. Sporophytes are large and long lasting.
4. Their body is divided into roots, stems and leaves.
5. Their stems are rhizomes.
6. Their leaves have stomata and chlorophyll. They produce food through the process of photosynthesis.
7. They have vascular bundles. That is, they are vascular plants. Dr. Siddique Publications
8. Their genitalia are multicellular and covered with a sterile sheath.
9. Their male genitalia are called anthoridium and female genitalia are called archegonium.
10. Their sexual reproduction is ogamous in nature. Dr. Siddique Publications
11. Their spermatozoa are multi-flagellated and motile.
12. Their strigametes are immobile and remain inside the archegonium.
13. Their life cycle produces multicellular embryos (the oldest embryos).
14. They are homosporous or heterosporous. That is, they produce microspores and megaspores.
15. Their spore-bearing leaves are called sporophylls.
16. Leaves have rachis. The leaves are arranged in racks.
17. Their gametophyte body is called prothallus.
18. The sporophyte is partially or totally dependent on the gametophyte.
19. There is a clear heteromorphic or asymmetric genealogy in their life cycle.