Tag: examples of bryophytes

Zygotes do not undergo reduction division immediately. They produce a multicellular body called a sporophyte. The sporophyte is not free-living but attached to the photosynthetic gametophyte and derives nourishment from it. Some cells of the sporophyte undergo reduction division (meiosis) to produce haploid spores. So, the correct option is "A" (Funaria).

There are two different developmental stages of the gametophyte: the Protonema, and the gametophore. The Protonema is the first part of the moss that develops from the germinating spore.

Funaria is known as common moss or green moss. The plant body is foliose that consists of stem axis which bears many leaves and instead of roots, rhizoids are present. It is gametophytic (n) and independent. It bears antheridia and archegonia on the same plant but on different branches.

After many years of vegetative growth sex organs develop on Cycas sporophytes in the form of cones or strobili. Cycas is dioecious i.e. male cone and female cone (lax) born on separate sporophytes. The male sporophyte is heterogametic having sex chromosomes-XY while the female sporophyte is homogametic having sex chromosomes-XX.

Funaria is known as common moss or green moss or cord moss. The main plant body of Funaria is gametophyte and is of two forms.

(1) Juvenile form (creeping protonema).

(2) Adult form (leafy gametophore).

It is characterized by filamentous setae, a gibbous obtusely pyriform capsule, and usually a double peristome of 16 teeth. Clorella, Volvox and Spirulina belongs to the phylum Algae (Thallophyta).