Life Cycle of Pteridophytes

In contrast to mosses and seed plants, Pteridophytes contain distinct and free-living generations of haploid gametophyte and diploid sporophyte, which have a life cycle comparable to that of seed-bearing plants. Here is a brief description of a Pteridophyta’s life cycle (in the case of ferns):

• Since Pteridophyta does not produce seeds or flowers, they reproduce by spores.
• Spores are initially released into the atmosphere.
• Spores develop into haploid gametophytes with both male and female sex organs that are heart-shaped.
• As soon as the immature gametophyte grows, the sex organs become functional.
• In ferns, the male reproductive organ is called an antheridium, which produces sperm, while the female reproductive organ is called an archegonium, which has eggs.
• Water is necessary for the sperm to flow and fertilize the egg in the case of fern reproduction.
• Through the process of mitosis, a fertilized egg, or zygote, creates new roots, stems, and sporophytes (cell division).

Similarities in the Sexual Reproduction of Ferns and Moss

• The mode of sexual reproduction is oogamous as non-motile female gametes are fertilized with motile gametes.
• Female sex organs are flask-shaped with a tubular neck and a swollen basal venter.
• Requirement of external source water for sperm to reach archegonia.
• Shows the true alternation of generations.

Dissimilarities in the Sexual Reproduction of Ferns and Moss

• Ferns have vascular tissues, moss doesn’t.
• Ferns are sporophyte dominant and mosses are gametophyte.
• Ferns have both male and female parts on the same plant, mosses have separate parts.

Also Read:

• Monera
• Animalia
• Plantae

R.H Whittaker classified living organisms into five kingdoms based on cell structure, mode of nutrition, reproduction, and phylogenetic relationship. The five kingdoms are Monera, Protista, Fungi, Animalia, and Plantae.

Plant kingdoms have the following characteristics: 

• They are autotrophs, as they make their food by themselves. 
• They reproduce through both sexual and asexual modes (vegetative propagation). 
• They are non-motile. 
• They include multicellular and eukaryotic organisms
• The plant kingdom is further classified into Cryptogams and Phanerogams. 

Cryptogams are plants that reproduce by spores without seeds or flowers, known as cryptogams. Examples are ferns, lichens, algae, etc. They are further classified into Thallophyta, Bryophyta, and Pteridophyte. Phanerogams are seed-bearing plants. They are more advanced than cryptogams. They are further classified into Angiosperms and Gymnosperms. Here is a detailed explanation of Pteridophyta.