1. Bryophyta are green, autophagous and self-sufficient plants.
2. They are multicellular, non-flowering and asexual plants.
3. They are mainly gametophyte (haploid). Gametophytes are large and long lasting.
4. Their bodies are thalloid, i.e. the body cannot be divided into roots, stems and leaves. However, mosses are divided into stems and leaves. Higher bryophyte bodies are divided into colloid (stem-like) and phylloid (leaf-like).
5. They have no roots. Roots are replaced by unicellular rhizoids. Some species have multicellular rhizoids.
6. They do not have transport canals or vascular bundles. That is, they are avascular plants.
7. Their bodies are made up of parenchyma cells only.
8. Their male genitalia are called antheridium and female genitalia are called archegonium.
9. Their antheridium is pear-shaped and archegonium is flask-shaped.
10. Their genitalia are multicellular and covered with a sterile sheath.
11. Their sexual reproduction is ogamous in nature. That is male gametes are small and motile and female gametes are large and stationary.
12. Fertilization occurs in water. That is, the fertilization process is dependent on water.
13. Their spermatozoa are bi-flagellated.
14. In their life cycle multicellular embryos are formed. Embryo development occurs in the venter of the female.
15. They are homosporous or homosporous. That is, they produce identical spores.
16. Several thallus are grouped together to form a rosette.
17. The sporophyte is partially or completely dependent on the gametophyte.
18. Advanced bryophytes are divided into sporophytes, setae and capsules.
19. Their spores germinate directly to form thallus or protonema.
20. In the life cycle of bryophytes there is a clear heteromorphic sequence.