Young sporophytes of the common moss Tortula muralis. In mosses, the gametophyte is the dominant generation, while the sporophytes consist of sporangium-bearing stalks growing from the tips of the gametophytes

In flowering plants, the sporophyte comprises the whole multicellular body except the pollen and embryo sac

All land plants, and some algae, have life cycles in which a haploid gametophyte generation alternates with a diploid sporophyte, the generation of a plant or alga that has a double set of chromosomes. A multicellular sporophyte generation or phase is present in the life cycle of all land plants and in some green algae. For common flowering plants (Angiosperms), the sporophyte generation comprises almost their whole life cycle (i.e. whole green plant, roots etc), except phases of small reproductive structures (pollen and ovule). Image File history File linksMetadata Mech_plonnik_mlode_sporofity. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Mech_plonnik_mlode_sporofity. ... For other uses, see Moss (disambiguation). ... In plants that undergo alternation of generations, a gametophyte is the structure, or phase of life, that contains only half of the total complement of chromosomes: The sporophyte produces spores, in a process called meiosis. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 533 pixelsFull resolution‎ (3,072 × 2,048 pixels, file size: 2. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 533 pixelsFull resolution‎ (3,072 × 2,048 pixels, file size: 2. ... Classes Magnoliopsida - Dicots Liliopsida - Monocots The flowering plants or angiosperms are the most widespread group of land plants. ... SEM image of pollen grains from a variety of common plants: sunflower (Helianthus annuus), morning glory (Ipomoea purpurea), prairie hollyhock (Sidalcea malviflora), oriental lily (Lilium auratum), evening primrose (Oenothera fruticosa), and castor bean (Ricinus communis). ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Algae have conventionally been regarded as simple plants within the study of botany. ... In plants that undergo alternation of generations, a gametophyte is the structure, or phase of life, that contains only half of the total complement of chromosomes: The sporophyte produces spores, in a process called meiosis. ... Diploid (meaning double in Greek) cells have two copies (homologs) of each chromosome (both sex- and non-sex determining chromosomes), usually one from the mother and one from the father. ... For other uses, see Plant (disambiguation). ... A scheme of a condensed (metaphase) chromosome. ... Genera Chara Lamprothamnium Nitella Tolypella The Charales are an order of green algae, and are believed to be the closest relatives of the embryophyte plants. ... Classes Magnoliopsida - Dicots Liliopsida - Monocots The flowering plants or angiosperms are the most widespread group of land plants. ... SEM image of pollen grains from a variety of common plants: sunflower (Helianthus annuus), morning glory (Ipomoea purpurea), prairie hollyhock (Sidalcea malviflora), oriental lily (Lilium auratum), evening primrose (Oenothera fruticosa), and castor bean (Ricinus communis). ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ...

The sporophyte produces spores (hence the name), by meiosis. These meiospores develop into a gametophyte. Both the spores and the resulting gametophyte are haploid, meaning they only have one set of homologous chromosomes. The mature gametophyte produces male or female gametes (or both) by mitosis. The fusion of male and female gametes produces a zygote which develops into a new sporophyte. This cycle is known as alternation of generations or alternation of phases. This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... For the figure of speech, see meiosis (figure of speech). ... In plants that undergo alternation of generations, a gametophyte is the structure, or phase of life, that contains only half of the total complement of chromosomes: The sporophyte produces spores, in a process called meiosis. ... Haploid (meaning simple in Greek) cells have only one copy of each chromosome. ... Homologous chromosomes are chromosomes in a biological cell that pair (synapse) during meiosis, or alternatively, non-identical chromosomes that contain information for the same biological features and contain the same genes at the same loci but possibly different genetic information, called alleles, at those genes. ... A gamete (from Ancient Greek γαμετης; translated gamete = wife, gametes = husband) is a cell that fuses with another gamete during fertilization (conception) in organisms that reproduce sexually. ... Mitosis divides genetic information during cell division. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Plant sexuality. ... It has been suggested that Biparental zygote be merged into this article or section. ... Sporic or diplohaplontic life cycle. ...

In the normal course of events, the zygote and sporophyte will have a full double set of chromosomes again. An exception is when a diploid and haploid gamete fuse, resulting in a triploid sporophyte, which will usually be sterile, as dividing three sets of chromosomes into two halves causes complications. Diploid (meaning double in Greek) cells have two copies (homologs) of each chromosome (both sex- and non-sex determining chromosomes), usually one from the mother and one from the father. ... Haploid (meaning simple in Greek) cells have only one copy of each chromosome. ... Polyploid (in Greek: πολλαπλόν - multiple) cells or organisms contain more than one copy (ploidy) of their chromosomes. ... A scheme of a condensed (metaphase) chromosome. ...

Bryophytes (mosses, liverworts and hornworts) have a dominant gametophyte stage on which the adult sporophyte is parasitic. The embryo of the sporophyte develops from the zygote within the female sex organ or archegonium, and in its early development is therefore nurtured by the gametophyte. Because this embryo-nurturing feature of the life cycle is common to all land plants they are known collectively as the Embryophytes. Bryophyte is a botanical term which refers to any member of the following divisions of the Plantae kingdom: Bryophyta (mosses) Anthocerophyta (hornworts) Hepatophyta (liverworts) Despite the similarity in name, a bryophyte does not exclusively imply a species of the division bryophyta. ... For other uses, see Moss (disambiguation). ... Orders Need to be entered Liverworts are non-vascular plants in the Class Marchantiopsida, formerly known as the Hepaticae. ... Families & Genera Leiosporocerotaceae Leiosporoceros Anthocerotaceae Anthoceros Folioceros Sphaerosporoceros Notothyladaceae Notothylas Phaeoceros Paraphymatoceros Hattorioceros Mesoceros Phymatocerotaceae Phymatoceros Dendrocerotaceae Dendroceros Megaceros Nothoceros Phaeomegaceros Hornworts are a group of bryophytes, or non-vascular plants, comprising the division Anthocerotophyta. ... For other uses, see Embryo (disambiguation). ... An archegonium (pl: archegonia) (from the Greek arche = beginning and gonos = born) is a multicellular structure or organ of the gametophyte phase of certain plants producing and containing the ovum or female gamete. ... Divisions Non-vascular plants (bryophytes) Marchantiophyta - liverworts Anthocerotophyta - hornworts Bryophyta - mosses Vascular plants (tracheophytes) Lycopodiophyta - clubmosses Equisetophyta - horsetails Pteridophyta - true ferns Psilotophyta - whisk ferns Ophioglossophyta - adderstongues Seed plants (spermatophytes) †Pteridospermatophyta - seed ferns Pinophyta - conifers Cycadophyta - cycads Ginkgophyta - ginkgo Gnetophyta - gnetae Magnoliophyta - flowering plants The embryophytes are the most familiar group...

Most algae have dominant gametophyte generations, but in some species the gametophytes and sporophytes are morphologically similar (isomorphic). An independent sporophyte is the dominant form in all clubmosses, horsetails, ferns, gymnosperms, and angiosperms (flowering plants) that have survived to the present day. Early land plants had sporophytes that produced identical spores (isosporous or homosporous) but the ancestors of the gymnosperms evolved complex heterosporous life cycles in which the spores producing male and female gametophytes were of different sizes, the female megaspores tending to be larger, and fewer in number, than the male microspores. Algae have conventionally been regarded as simple plants within the study of botany. ... In mathematics, an isomorphism (in Greek isos = equal and morphe = shape) is a kind of interesting mapping between objects. ... Families Lycopodiaceae Huperziaceae The Class Lycopodiopsida includes the clubmosses. ... Species The horsetails are vascular plants, comprising 15 species of plants in the genus Equisetum. ... This article is about the group of pteridophyte plants. ... Divisions Pinophyta (or Coniferophyta) - Conifers Ginkgophyta - Ginkgo Cycadophyta - Cycads Gnetophyta - Gnetum, Ephedra, Welwitschia The gymnosperms (Gymnospermae) are a group of spermatophyte seed-bearing plants with ovules on the edge or blade of an open sporophyll, the sporophylls usually arranged in cone-like structures. ... Classes Magnoliopsida - Dicots Liliopsida - Monocots The flowering plants (also angiosperms or Magnoliophyta) are one of the major groups of modern plants, comprising those that produce seeds in specialized reproductive organs called flowers, where the ovulary or carpel is enclosed. ... Megaspores are present in heterosporous plants. ... Spores produced in a sporic life cycle. ...

During the Devonian period several plant groups independently evolved heterospory and subsequently the habit of endospory, in which single megaspores were retained within the sporangia of the parent sporophyte, instead of being freely liberated into the environment as in ancestral exosporous plants. These endosporic megaspores contained within them a miniature multicellular female gametophyte complete with female sex organs or archegonia containing oocytes which were fertilised by free-swimming sperm produced by windborne miniatuarised male gametophytes in the form of pre-pollen. The resulting zygote developed into the next sporophyte generation while still retained within the pre-ovule, the single large female meiospore or megaspore contained in the modified sporangium or nucellus of the parent sporophyte. The evolution of heterospory and endospory were among the earliest steps in the evolution of seeds of the kind produced by gymnosperms and angiosperms today. For the Celtic language, see Southwestern Brythonic language; for the residents of the English county, see Devon. ... An archegonium (pl: archegonia) (from the Greek arche = beginning and gonos = born) is a multicellular structure or organ of the gametophyte phase of certain plants producing and containing the ovum or female gamete. ... An oocyte or ovocyte is a female gametocyte that divides twice by mitosis and meiosis into two other oocytes or into two ootids. ... For other uses, see Sperm (disambiguation). ... SEM image of pollen grains from a variety of common plants: sunflower (Helianthus annuus), morning glory (Ipomoea purpurea), prairie hollyhock (Sidalcea malviflora), oriental lily (Lilium auratum), evening primrose (Oenothera fruticosa), and castor bean (Ricinus communis). ... It has been suggested that Biparental zygote be merged into this article or section. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Megaspores are present in heterosporous plants. ... A sporangium (pl. ... Location of ovules inside a Helleborus foetidus flower Ovule literally means small egg. ... A ripe red jalapeño cut open to show the seeds For other uses, see Seed (disambiguation). ... Divisions Pinophyta (or Coniferophyta) - Conifers Ginkgophyta - Ginkgo Cycadophyta - Cycads Gnetophyta - Gnetum, Ephedra, Welwitschia The gymnosperms (Gymnospermae) are a group of spermatophyte seed-bearing plants with ovules on the edge or blade of an open sporophyll, the sporophylls usually arranged in cone-like structures. ... Classes Magnoliopsida - Dicots Liliopsida - Monocots The flowering plants (also angiosperms or Magnoliophyta) are one of the major groups of modern plants, comprising those that produce seeds in specialized reproductive organs called flowers, where the ovulary or carpel is enclosed. ...

References

• P. Kenrick & P.R. Crane (1997) The origin and early evolution of plants on land. Nature 389, 33-39.
• T.N. Taylor, H. Kerp and H. Hass (2005) Life history biology of early land plants: Deciphering the gametophyte phase. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 102, 5892-5897.
• P.R. Bell & A.R. Helmsley (2000) Green plants. Their Origin and Diversity. Cambridge University Press ISBN 0 521 64673 1

v • d • e Botany
Subdisciplines of botany	Ethnobotany · Paleobotany · Plant anatomy · Plant ecology · Plant evo-devo · Plant morphology · Plant physiology
Plants	Evolutionary history of plants · Algae · Bryophyte · Pteridophyte · Gymnosperm · Angiosperm
Plant parts	Flower · Fruit · Leaf · Meristem · Root · Stem · Stoma · Vascular tissue · Wood
Plant cells	Cell wall · Chlorophyll · Chloroplast · Photosynthesis · Plant hormone · Plastid · Transpiration
Plant life cycles	Gametophyte · Plant sexuality · Pollen · Pollination · Seed · Spore · Sporophyte
Plant taxonomy	Botanical name · Botanical nomenclature · Herbarium · IAPT · ICBN · Species Plantarum
Category · Project · Portal