The Life Cycle of Mosses! Be sure to use your handouts AND your text (pg 392) as additional references!

(1) The mature male & female moss plants are called gameteophytes because they produce gametes (egg or sperm)

(2) Mature sperm leave the antheridium & swim through a film of water to fertilize the eggs found in a structure called the archegonium. Water must be present for successful fertilization!

(3) Each fertilized egg is called a zygote (diploid) (3) Each fertilized egg is called a zygote (diploid) . The fertilized egg (developing sporophyte) begins to grow.

(4) The fertilized egg (developing sporophyte) begins to grow.

(5) The final result is a spore capsule on the top of a thin stalk.

Capsule Mature sporophyte Parent gametophyte (6)The spores in the capsule are produced by meiosis (haploid). A cover or hood falls off the capsule. Next, a cap drops off to release the spores.

(7,8) The spores that land in a suitable area will begin to germinate (young gametophyte). Most spores would not germinate.

Provide the details for each step in the Life Cycle of Mosses..