Final answer:
Plants that are well-suited to cool, wet conditions include horsetails, mosses, and ferns, among others. These species thrive under tree canopies and in the understory of forests where humidity is high and droughts are uncommon. They have adaptations like drought tolerance and a preference for moist environments for fertilization.
Step-by-step explanation:
Plants Best Suited to Cool, Wet Conditions
Plants that are well suited for cool, wet conditions often have adaptations such as tolerance to moisture and low light levels. Examples of such plants include horsetails (Equisetum sp.), mosses, ferns, club mosses, and whisk ferns. These plants typically thrive under a tree canopy or in the understory of temperate forests where they are protected from direct sunlight and the environment remains humid. Mosses, in particular, exhibit a survival strategy known as drought tolerance, allowing them to recover from dry periods by rapidly rehydrating when water becomes available. Ferns also prefer damp and cool environments, thanks to their early evolutionary adaptations to high humidity habitats.
Seedless vascular plants like club mosses and horsetails depend on water for fertilization and continue to favor moist environments in the modern era. These species, along with others such as ferns, benefit from the consistent moisture found in such ecosystems. The structural adaptations of these plants make them ideal for surviving in environments where dryness is rare and water is abundant.