Term:
Gametophyte
Gametophyte
Definition:
The gamete-producing haploid phase (n) of a plant's life cycle.
The gamete-producing haploid phase (n) of a plant's life cycle.
Glossary Details:
Title: Fern life cycle. drawing by M. Sashital.
Description: Drawing of a homosporous fern\s life cycle. The dominant part of the life cycle, i.e., the plant that is recognized as a fern, represents the sporophyte generation. The gametophyte generation includes the phase of the life cycle between the formation of spores by meiosis and fertilization and formation of the zygote. The imaginary fern shown here has only one type of spore and is, thus, homosporous, i.e., the spores that produce male and female gametophytes are morphological identical.