Title: Stages of a Plant’s Life Cycle | Biology for Majors II
Headings: Stages of a Plant’s Life Cycle
Stages of a Plant’s Life Cycle
Learning Outcomes
Try It
Contribute!

Content: credit: modification of work by Peter Coxhead)
The life cycle of higher plants is dominated by the sporophyte stage, with the gametophyte borne on the sporophyte. In ferns, the gametophyte is free-living and very distinct in structure from the diploid sporophyte. In bryophytes, such as mosses, the haploid gametophyte is more developed than the sporophyte. During the vegetative phase of growth, plants increase in size and produce a shoot system and a root system. As they enter the reproductive phase, some of the branches start to bear flowers. Many flowers are borne singly, whereas some are borne in clusters. The flower is borne on a stalk known as a receptacle. Flower shape, color, and size are unique to each species, and are often used by taxonomists to classify plants. Try It
Open Assessments
Assessment Text
The gametophyte stage of plants produces which of the following?