Starting with the fern as we recognize it the sporophyte, the life cycle follows these steps. In real life, here is an old fern sporophyte of leather fern with many fronds. Find diagram showing life cycle fern illustration stock images in hd and millions of other royaltyfree stock photos, illustrations and vectors in the shutterstock collection. C fern lab report rensselaer polytechnic institute. A moss begins its life cycle when haploid spores are released from a sporophyte capsule and begin to germinate. In tree ferns, the leaves are produced on a definite woody trunk. Pteridophytes are characterized by a life cycle that usually involves an alternation of two freeliving generations sporophyte and gametophyte with the sporophyte the. The sporophyte releases haploid spores that germinate into gametophytes. The sexual generation in plants produces gametes, or sex cells and is called the gametophyte generation. Psilotum is a genus of fern like vascular plants, commonly known as whisk ferns. The lifecycle of ferns and their allies is totally unique from other plants. Division monilophyta ferns, horsetails, whisk ferns. The dominant conspicuous part of the life cycle is the diploid, leafbearing.
It is one of two genera in the family psilotaceae, the other being tmesipteris. The diploid sporophyte produces haploid spores by meiosis, the same process that produces eggs and sperm in animals and flowering plants. Life cycle of ferns unlike mosses, the dominant stage of the fern life cycle is the sporophyte stage. The gametophyte of seed plants is very small and develops within special structures of the sporophyte, whereas in ferns the gametophyte, through tiny, develops and matures independent from the sporophyte. The fern life cycle includes a haploid gametophyte that is independent of the sporophyte and functions to produce the gametes. Heres how the life cycle works and the various ways ferns reproduce. The gametophyte bears organs for sexual reproduction. The completion of fertilization by the formation of the zygote initiates the diploid phase of the life cycle, the sporophyte. To follow the life cycle of the fern, begin at number one below. Similar to the life cycle of seed plants, the pteridophytes also involves the alternation of generations in its life cycle. When seed plants produce seeds, flowers are pollinated on the plant. The life cycle of pinus, a representative gymnosperm pollen and ovules are produced in different kinds of structures pollination replaces the need for free water fertilization leads to seed formation gnetophytes the ecological and economic importance of gymnosperms summary plants, people, and the environment.
Furthermore, based on the analysis done on the c fern life cycle, the lab class was able to make effective genetic predictions based on inheritance patterns. Some genera of true ferns like mosquito fern azolla, water shamrock marsilea and several others are heterosporous. The vascular system of gymnosperms cycads ginkgo conifers pinaceae include the pines, firs, and spruces cupressaceae include the junipers, cypresses, and redwoods taxaceae include the yews, but plum yews belong to cephalotaxaceae podocarpaceae and araucariaceae are largely southern hemisphere conifers the life cycle of pinus, a. While many plants grow a mature adult form straight out of the seed, ferns have an intermediate.
The life cycle of most mosses begins with the release of spores from a capsule, which opens when a small, lidlike structure, called the operculum, degenerates. Unlike mosses, the dominant stage of the fern life cycle is the sporo phyte plant. Up close with spores in ferns reproduction in nonflowering plants duration. A single spore germinates to form a branched, filamentous protonema, from which a leafy gametophyte develops. Though their life cycle requires water for the sperm to swim to the egg in the gametophyte phase, and many ferns are highly adapted for living in moist environments, ferns have adapted many ingenious methods that allow them to live in all kinds of environments. One generation is diploid, meaning it carries two identical sets of chromosomes in each cell or the full genetic complement like a human cell. They have a sporic life cycle with sporophyte predominance whereas their gametophytes are often reduced to pteridophyta, ferns and allies, have approximately 12,000 species and six classes. Life cycle of a fern university of pennsylvania school. A read is counted each time someone views a publication summary such as the title, abstract, and list of authors, clicks on a figure, or views or downloads the fulltext. Ferns are seedless vascular plants that have a life cycle that includes both diploid and haploid multicellular stages. The above life history shows that it has two distinct parts, the plant itself reproducing asexually by spores and the prothallus reproducing sexually by gametes.
This is the equivalent of a flower bud falling off of the tree, blooming, and then being pollinated, or fertilized, well away from the tree it came. Thousands of new, highquality pictures added every day. Well look at fungus zygotic life cycle, algae, moss, fern, flowering plant including asexual sporic life cycles. This basic life cycle is found in all nonseed producing plants including mosses and liverworts, horsetails genus equisetum, lycophytes genera lycopodium, isoetes, and selaginella, and ferns details of the life cycles in these groups differ. The life cycle of the fern starts with a single spore as most ferns are homosporous. Each spore grows into a photosynthetic prothallus gametophyte via mitosis. Ferns have true roots, stems, and complex leaves and constitute an ancient division of plants. Mosses produce two types of spores, so they are not homosporus. In most published or publicly available documents on ferns, the focus is most often on fern identification, human interactions and uses, and on fern biology evolution, life cycle and reproduction see crazy facts. In the majority of mosses, germination is exosporic, i. In this article we will discuss about the life cycle of selaginella, explained with the help of suitable diagrams. On the underside of some fronds are the sori, which are clusters of sporangia. I stop and ask them questions as they look at the photographs. The asexual phase produces spores and is called the sporophyte generation.
Improve your science knowledge with free questions in moss and fern life cycles and thousands of other science skills. The fern sporophyte includes the familiar fronds you see in figure 24. Overview of the morphology, anatomy, and ontogeny of. A spore grows into a freeliving haploid gametophyte by mitosis a process of cell division which maintains the number of chromosomes. The main difference between mosses and ferns is that mosses are nonvascular plants whereas ferns are vascular plants. Spores produced on underside of fronds in clusters of sporangia called sori. Fern sporophytes produce haploid spores on the underside of their fronds in tiny containers called. Gary pilarchik the rusted garden recommended for you. Although so large, the genus shows a uniformity lacking in the genus lycopodium.
The resulting sporophyte emerges within 2 wk and forms spores, completing the life cycle within 90 d. Fern reproduction is quite different from that of flowering plants. While many plants grow a mature adult form straight out of the seed, ferns have an intermediate stage, called a gametophyte, which then grows into a mature fern. The essay will cover the basic process which we used to grow a fern. Fern fronds grow from a rhizome, which is an underground stem. Sori plural of sorus are the small dotlike clusters of sporangia on the bottom of a fern leaf. The life cycle of the fern has two different stages. Angiosperms are plants that produce flowers, which are nothing but the reproductive machinery of the plant. The branching of the rhizome and formation of adventitious buds on rhizomes is ferns of ophioglossaceae have been reported mcmaster 1996. In many simple organisms, including bacteria and various protists, the.
The drypoteris fern life cycle begins with a spore. What is the dominant stage in the life cycle of ferns and other sporebearing vascular plants. Oct 26, 2019 pteridophyta, ferns and allies, have approximately 12,000 species and six classes figure \\pageindex1\. The conifer life cycle friends of the regional parks. Pteridophyta characteristics, life cycle, classification. Ferns, unlike some other plants, do not flower in order to propagate. I will discuss the methods and the results of the lab exercise. First explain what is meant by alternation of generations, tell which parts of the life cycle are haploid and diploid and define these terms. The next time you have a chance to look at a fern frond, take a look at the back. Many plants can reproduce sexually but what does this mean. The life cycle of a typical fern proceeds as follows. The life cycle of a fern is complex compared to that of a flowering plant, and the cycle involves both sexual and asexual reproduction. The sexuality of pteridophytic gametophytes can be classified as follows. Etiology thiaminases occur naturally in marsilea spp.
Features of spore germination, antheridium and archegonium ontogeny and development, and embryogenesis are investigated. Ferns belong to the division pterophyta characterized by vascular plants with leaves fronds arising from subterranean, creeping rhizomes. Mar 05, 2020 life cycle, in biology, the series of changes that the members of a species undergo as they pass from the beginning of a given developmental stage to the inception of that same developmental stage in a subsequent generation. This essay will discuss the fern life cycle as taught in biology lab. There are also worksheets on the life cycle of ferns, life cycles of gymnosperms conifers and angiosperms. Life cycle of a fern university of pennsylvania school of. It only makes sense, then, that having racked up so much time on earth, ferns have evolved into over 12,000 different species today. Fertilization sperm swim through a layer of water to reach the egg new sporophyte archegonium sporangium. Learn biology life cycle 1 fern with free interactive flashcards.
Ferns are plants that reproduce with spores instead of seeds and flowers they are different from gymnosperms and angiosperms. Begin the introduction by describing the life cycle of the fern. The life cycle of a fern includes both a gametophyte and sporophyte generation. Life cycle of a plant and alteration of generations. The fronds of the fern grow from the rhizome, which is the underground stem. In ferns and other more primitive plants, the haploid. True ferns are highly competitive even to angiosperms.
Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Each spore grows into a photosynthetic prothallus gametophyte via. Growth and analysis of the ceratopteris cfern life. Most mosses release millions of spores, of 2 types male and female.
Selaginella is a very large genus of about 700 tropical to temperate species growing almost everywhere on this earth. Life cycle of pteridophyta similar to the life cycle of seed plants, the pteridophytes also involves the alternation of generations in its life cycle. Alternation of generations describes a plants life cycle as it alternates between a sexual phase, or generation and an asexual phase. Ferns are one of the earliest forms of plant life on the planet, living over 300 million years ago according to the american fern society. Pteridophyte life cycle just as with bryophytes and spermatophytes seed plants, the life cycle of pteridophytes involves alternation of generations. If you ever look at the large fern you see, on the under side of the leaves their are thousands of small brown dots on each frond. The fern life cycle requires two generations of plants to complete itself. Some ferns are able to produce new plants entirely asexually, but usually a ferns reproductive process includes a sexual stage. Life cycle of a fern excerpted and adapted from grays. This means that a diploid generation the sporophyte, which produces spores is followed by a haploid generation the gametophyte or prothallus, which produces gametes.
Different species can inhabit a huge variety of habitats all over the world. They have a life cycle called the alternation of generations which has a diploid sporophyte phase and a haploid gametophyte phase. In a plants life cycle, the sporeproducing phase is called sporophyte. This interactive illustrates the alternation of generations in ferns. Key concept most mosses and ferns live in moist environments. Many pteridophytes supplement their sexual cycles with various forms of vegetative reproduction yatskievych 2003. Selaginella are found in a wide range of environments, from cold temperate to desert to the wet humid tropics. It turns out that this is a trickier question to answer than i thought. The beautiful plant body that we see is called the sporophyte which means spore bearing plant and is the dominant part of the cycle. The life cycle of angiosperms begin with pollination and end in the formation of fruits which contains seeds that germinate into new plants which mature till they reach the flowering stage, thereby, completing a full circle. Life cycle of a moss spores are released from the sporophyte. Next i show students this brief visual presentation on the fern life cycle. While the term sporophyte is referred to as plants that produce spores, the real definition is more complicated and interesting. By repeated cell division oospore gives rise to the multicellular embryo, which develops into a new fern plant, thus completing the life history.
A diploid zygote formed on the gametophyte develops into a sporophyte, a fern. In a diplontic life cycle, the diploid sporophyte is dominant, photosynthetic and is the independent phase of the plant. Sperm, which are released by the mature antheridium the male. They are the only living members of their family, with about 700 species. Sporophyte definition, function and examples biology. As with ferns, the dominant plant is the sporophyte, which in this case, is the conifer tree.
The fern sporophytes include the familiar fronds you see in. Alternation of generations and experimental design. Within each sporangium, the spore mother cells undergo meiosis producing four haploid spores each when the humidity drops. Characteristics of pteridophytes, morphology of pteridophytes, reproduction of pteridophytes, homosporous and heterosporous pteridophytes, megaspore and microspores, gametophytes of pteridophytes, fertilization, zygote and embryo of pteridophytes, life cycle. Oct 16, 2016 thus, the life cycle of ferns consists of two major plant forms a longliving sporophyte and a shortlived gametophyte. However, the pteridophytes differ from mosses and seed plants in that both generations are independent and freeliving. In homosporous ferns, the sex of the gametophyte is not fixed but can. Gametophyte plants are haploid, sporophyte plants diploid.
Meiosis is a type of cell division that produces gametes cells that contain half the number of chromosomes than the parent cell. Bryophyte life cycle the bryophyte lifecycle consists of alternating generations between the haploid gametophyte and the diploid sporophyte. The life cycle of ferns is different from other land plants as both the gametophyte and the sporophyte phases are free living. They have a sporic life cycle with sporophyte predominance whereas their gametophytes are often reduced to prothallium, small hornwortlike plant. This packet goes over the difference between vascular and nonvascular plants, alternation of generations and other botany topics. In the life cycle of a fern, the large fern plant that we.
The focus of this segment is to have students recognize and be able to explain, in a simple way, that ferns are a special kind of plant that does not grow from a seed. You could watch this wonderful youtube video which describes the life cycle of ferns with very good animation. However, an alga called fucus also shows this kind of life cycle. You will probably see many small clusters similar to those shown to the right. Choose from 500 different sets of biology life cycle 1 fern flashcards on quizlet. On the underside of each frond are tiny, dark spots called sori that contain growths called sporangia that produce and release spores. The ferns usually bear large, much compounded leaves but occa. Selaginella are frequently described as primitive or living fossils due to the nature of their physiology and reproduction. Pteridophytes general characters ppt general characteristics, life cycle and reproduction of pteridophytes ppt what are pteridophytes. A diploid sporophyte phase produces haploid spores by meiosis a process of cell division which reduces the number of chromosomes by a half. Furthermore, the plant body of ferns is differentiated into true leaves, stem, and roots. There are two distinct stages in the life cycle of ferns.
Apr 11, 2020 gametophytes of pteridopsida are minute and grow aboveground. During the gametophyte stage, haploid gametes male and female are formed in the specialized sex organs. On the underside of some fronds are sori, which are clusters of sporangia. The life cycle of a fern is very different from the life cycle of many other plants. The diplontic life cycle is commonly seen in gymnosperms and angiosperms with some variations. Did you know that not all plants have flowers in this lesson ll learn about diffe types of non flowering including mosses ferns. The rapid life cycle of c fern makes it a useful genetic system, and it has allowed for the generation of several mutant lines with altered development and physiology, which are amenable to inquirybased lab exercises hickok and warne, 2004.
Life cycles of mosses, ferns, and conifers flashcards quizlet. The plant we recognize as a fern is the diploid sporophyte generation. Sep 02, 2017 both mosses and ferns are nonflowering, seedless plants. Fern, any of several thousand species of nonflowering vascular plants that reproduce by spores. The leaves of ferns, called fronds, are often included in a flower bouquet. Plants in these two genera were once thought to be descended from the earliest surviving vascular plants, but more recent phylogenies place them as basal ferns, as a sister group to ophioglossales.
This illustrates the alternation of generations in ferns. Bryophyte definition, characteristics, life cycle and. Growth habit and reproductive structures of the sporophyte polypody fern. This quizworksheet combo will help test your knowledge of the delicate life. This type of life cycle is called alternation of generations.
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