Chapter 21, Problem 9STP

Summary Introduction

To analyze:

The comparison between sporophytic generation of non-vascular plants and seedless vascular plants.

Introduction:

The spore-producing process in the life cycle of a plant is called sporophyte. There are 2 reproductive stages in plants: sexual and asexual. The alternation of generation secretes these two phases into the sporophyte and gametophyte via the cycle of meiosis and fertilization. Sporophyte is the phase when plants produce diploid (2n) spores which develop into gametophytes in turn to spores.

Explanation of Solution

The sporophytic generation of non-vascular plants anthocerophyta shows hornlike sporophtes therefore, termed as hornworts. The nutrients, water, and other substances move in hornworts by diffusion and osmosis. They have large chloroplast in each cell of sporophytes.

The sporophytic generation of seedless vascular plants like lycophytes is dominant. The reproductive structures that form the spores are club-shaped or spike-shaped. In pterophyta they produce sporophytes without fertilization. They produce roots and thick underground stem that is rhizome.

Conclusion

The sporophytic generation of non-vascular plants have hornlike sporophytes while the sporophytic generation of seedless vascular plants have club-shaped or spike-shaped sporophytes.