1. The Plant Reproduction Unit
We have covered:
Flower structure and function
Pollination and fertilization
Seed dispersal
What’s left?
Plant life cycle, fruit formation, horticulture techniques with plant reproduction
What we’ve covered applies to flowering plants …what about other plants?

2. Mosses, Ferns, Conifers, and Flowering Plants
Plant Life Cycles
Mosses, Ferns, Conifers, and Flowering Plants

3. General Life Cycle of Plants
All plants cycle between two phases during their life
Called ‘alternation of generations’
We’ll study this cycle in mosses, ferns, conifers, and flowering plants

4. Alternation of Generations
A fertilized egg develops into the sporophyte plant, which makes spores
Sporophytes are diploid, meaning they have a full set of chromosomes from each parent
Sporophytes produce spores, which are haploid (one set of chromosomes)

5. Alternation of Generations
Spores grow into a gametophyte plant, which is also haploid
The gametophyte produces sperm and eggs
The sperm and eggs eventually fuse to become the fertilized zygote

6. Moss Life Cycle
Mosses were the first plants to evolve, with no vascular tissue or seeds
Mosses rely on water for the movement of spores, sperm, and eggs

7. Moss Life Cycle
Mature sporophytes release spores that grow into young gametophytes called protonema
The protonema grow into separate gametophyte plants that we see as ‘moss’
Antheridia on the male plant release sperm, while archegonia on the female release eggs

8. So Sexy! The egg and sperm fuse to form a zygote
The zygote grows into a mature sporophyte, which again releases spores

9. Fern Life Cycle
Ferns were next to evolve, with vascular tissue but no seeds
In the fern life cycle, the sporophyte is what we call a ‘fern’

10. Fern Life Cycle
The mature sporophyte (fern) contains structures on the bottom called sporangia, clustered into sacs called sori
The fern releases spores from the sori, which grow into young gametophytes
Mature gametophytes contain both antheridia and archegonia, which release sperm and eggs

11. Even Sexier!
The sperm and eggs fuse to become a zygote, which grows into a mature sporophyte (fern)

12. Coloring Activity Color in the Moss and Fern Life Cycle worksheets
Label each phase of the cycle as haploid or diploid
Read the material on the back of them for help!
Try to LEARN and UNDERSTAND these cycles today…we have two more next week