Which of the Following is True of the Life Cycle

Question

Which of the following is true of the life cycle of mosses?
A) The haploid generation grows on the sporophyte generation.
B) Spores are primarily distributed by water currents.
C) Antheridia and archegonia are produced by gametophytes.
D) The sporophyte generation is dominant.
E) The growing embryo gives rise to the gametophyte.

Accepted Answer

Mosses have a life cycle with alternating haploid (n) and diploid (2n) generations. The haploid generation is called the gametophyte while the diploid generation is called the sporophyte. Gametophytes produce antheridia, which produce sperm, and archegonia, which produce eggs. Fertilization occurs within the archegonia, leading to the development of a diploid sporophyte embryo. The sporophyte remains attached to and dependent on the gametophyte for its nutrition. Eventually, the sporophyte produces spores that are dispersed by wind, not water. Mosses do not have a dominant sporophyte generation.