Suppose you are a botanist and you discover a plant that has a small free-living gametophyte that requires external water for fertilization and a large free-living sporophyte. The free-living sporophyte eventually releases spores from sporangia on the margins of its leaves. Into which group should you classify this plant?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The characteristics described match those of seedless vascular plants. These plants have a dominant sporophyte generation and require water for fertilization, similar to ferns, which are a common example of seedless vascular plants. Gymnosperms and angiosperms have seeds, and bryophytes have a dominant gametophyte stage, not a sporophyte.

Suppose You Are a Botanist and You Discover a Plant