Semester 2 : Blog # 11

The alternation of generations is a life cycle of how plants reproduce sexually. It takes plants through both haploid and diploid generations. The sporophyte is a multicellular diploid plant structure which produces spores through meiotic (asexual) division. The multicellular haploid plant structure is called the gametophyte, which is formed from the spore and give rise to the haploid gametes. A mature sporophyte produces spores by meiosis. Spores germinate and grow into a gametophyte. At maturity, the gametophyte produces gametes by mitosis. Two gametes fuse to produce a zygote, which develops into a diploid sporophyte.