Fern Life Cycle:
sporophyte: diploid, 2 sets of chromosomes
produce spores (1n) via meiosis which grow into
gametophyte: haploid, 1 set of chromosomes
Sporophytes have
- sporangia: specialized structure in which spores are produced
- sori: clusters of sporangia on the underside of fern leaves
- indusium: flap of tissue enclosing a sporangium
- annulus: band of thick walled cells on sporangium, when these dry out, sporangium splits along a region of
- lip cells releasing the spores.
- homosporous: all spores are the same
- heterosporous: some spores are different, mega- and micro-spores