1. Moss and Fern Life Cycles

2. Group 1: Seedless, Nonvascular Plants
Live in moist environments
Need water to reproduce
Grow low to ground (nonvascular)
Lack true leaves
Common pioneer species
Gametophyte most common (dominant)
Ex: Mosses, liverworts, hornworts

3. Moss Life Cycle . . . . Rain falls
Sperm swims from male to female gametophyte
Zygote created….sporophyte stage begins
Sporophyte releases spores
Spores grow into new gametophytes . . . .
sporophyte
Male gametophyte
(with sperm)
Female gametophyte (with eggs)
Male gametophyte
(with sperm)
Female gametophyte (with eggs)

4. Group 2: Seedless, Vascular Plants
Vascular system
Taller growth
Nutrient transportation
Live in moist environments
swimming sperm
Has primitive roots called rhizoids
Gametophyte stage
Called Prothallus
Creates egg and sperm
Sporophyte stage
Leaves called “Fronds”
Spores created on underside in clusters called “sori”
Ex: Ferns, Club mosses, Horsetails

5. Fern Frond

6. Underside of frond

7. 1) Sporophyte (diploid stage) creates and releases haploid spores
Adult
Sporophyte . . . .
ground

8. 2) Haploid spores land in the soil. . . .
ground

9. Fern gametophytes are called a prothallus
3) From the haploid spores, gametophyte grows
Let’s zoom in
Fern gametophytes are called a prothallus
ground

10. 4) Sperm swim through water from the male parts (antheridium) to the female parts (archegonia)…zygote created
Let’s zoom back out
egg
zygote
egg
zygote

11. 5) Diploid sporophyte grows from the zygote
ground

12. 6) Fiddle head uncurls….fronds open up
7) Cycle repeats……Haploid spores created and released . . . . . .
fiddlehead
frond . .
ground

13. Kobe Kuiz Why do moss grow so low to the ground?
Which stage is the main stage of moss: sporophyte or gametophyte?
How do moss reproduce?
What is the major difference between moss and ferns?
What are the leaves of ferns called?
What is needed for moss and ferns to reproduce?
Which stage is the main stage of ferns: sporophyte or gametophyte?
What stage is created when sperm and egg fuse: sporophyte or gametophyte?
Name the gametophytes of ferns.