n. pl. morÂ·pholÂ·oÂ·gies. 1. a. The branch of biology that deals with the form and structure of organisms without consideration of function. b. The form and structure of an organism or one of its parts: the morphology of a cell; the morphology of vertebrates. 2. Linguistics The study of the structure and form of words in language or a language, including inflection, derivation, and the formation of compounds.
Like algae, aquatic plants play a vital role in lake ecology because they provide cover, habitat, and food. However, too many plants can limit swimming, fishing, water skiing, boating, and aesthetic appreciation.
The phylum lycophyta is believed to be the oldest remaining group of all the vascular plants and are thought to have evolved more than 400 million years ago. Included in the lycophytes are club mosses, quillworts and spike mosses plus a number of extinct groups such as the scale trees.uillworts grow in close association with water. Many species are fully aquatic and grow in lakes, slow-moving rivers and estuaries. Clubmosses and spikemosses mostly enjoy wet, shady environments but some species can be particularly tolerant to drought.