Which plant category includes vascular plants that reproduce with spores, like ferns?

The correct answer is Pterophyta, which is the category that includes vascular plants that reproduce with spores, such as ferns.

Pterophyta, commonly known as ferns, are a diverse group of plants that predominantly reproduce through spores rather than seeds. They possess vascular tissue, which allows for the transport of water and nutrients. This group exhibits a life cycle that includes both sporophyte (the dominant, leafy part of the plant we typically recognize as a fern) and gametophyte generations. The sporophyte produces spores in specialized structures called sporangia, facilitating reproduction.

Understanding the characteristics of Pterophyta is essential, especially in distinguishing them from other plant categories. For instance, Sphenophyta mainly refers to horsetails, which share some similarities with ferns but are distinct in their structure and reproductive methods. Cycadophyta and Gymnosperms include seed-producing plants and do not reproduce via spores, making them fundamentally different from Pterophyta. Therefore, the characteristic of reproduction by spores is key to identifying Pterophyta as the correct answer.