Title: Life Cycle - in a nutshell - bryophyte
Headings: Life cycle
Life cycle
... life cycle in a nutshell.
Spore to protonema
The following stylized diagrams show some of the variations.
Further gametophyte growth
Some interesting links

Content: The bryophytes are often said to show an alternation of generations. You may see references to the "gametophyte generation" and the "sporophyte generation" alternating. The first thing to note is that "generation" is being used in a way quite different to its every day use. Parents (diploid organisms) refer to their children (also diploid organisms) as the "next generation". The second point worth noting is that many bryophyte gametophytes readily produce offspring without need of sporophytes. The third point to not is that a great many organisms show haploid and diploid states. In humans the haploid state is confined to egg and sperm cells and these are incapable of an independent existence. In the flowering plants the eggs and pollen constitute the haploid state and are also not capable of independent existence. Humans and flowering plants are examples of diploid-dominant organisms. By contrast, in bryophytes the haploid state is capable of independent existence and is typically much longer-lived than the sporophyte state.