Final answer:
Bryophytes do not contain vascular tissue; this limits their size and their ability to transport water and nutrients, distinguishing them from vascular plants. The correct answer is option c).
Step-by-step explanation:
The structure not found in bryophytes is c) Vascular tissue. Bryophytes are nonvascular, seedless plants and are known for lacking specialized tissue that transports water, nutrients, and food in plants. They include three main groups: liverworts, hornworts, and mosses.
While they do have rhizoids that function similarly to roots, stomata for gas exchange, and gametangia for reproduction, they do not possess vascular tissue, which is a defining characteristic of vascular plants that allows them to move water and nutrients efficiently and grow taller.
Bryophytes are therefore typically small, ground-hugging plants that absorb water and nutrients over their whole surface and depend on moist environments to survive and reproduce. Bryophytes lack these tissues and therefore cannot efficiently transport water and nutrients.