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Ferns are vascular plants differing from the more primitive lycophytes by having true leaves (megaphylls). They differ from seed plants (gymnosperms and angiosperms) in their mode of reproduction - lacking flowers and seeds. Like all other vascular plants, they have a life cycle referred to as alternation of generations, characterized by a diploid sporophytic and a haploid gametophytic phase. Unlike the gymnosperms and angiosperms, the ferns' gametophyte is a free-living organism. Life cycle of a typical fern: # A sporophyte (diploid) phase produces haploid spores by meiosis; # A spore grows by mitosis into a gametophyte, which typically consists of a photosynthetic prothallus # The gametophyte produces gametes (often both sperm and eggs on the same prothallus) by mitosis # A mobile, flagellate sperm fertilizes an egg that remains attached to the prothallus # The fertilized egg is now a diploid zygote and grows by mitosis into a sporophyte (the typical "fern" plant).

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16y ago

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