 Would you expect the cells in gemmae cups

What is the function of gemmae cups?

to divide by mitosis or meiosis?
 What is the difference between sexual
 What is the function of this structure?
and asexual reproduction?
 What is the ploidy level of gemmae?

Cross section of
Air pore on upper surface of thallus at
A single thallus thallus with rhizoids
400X (stained)
at 100X (stained)
 Is this stage in the
development of a liverwort
a gametophyte or a
sporophyte?
 What is the
 Do the cells in this  What is the function of this pore?
function of rhizoids?
thallus divide by mitosis or  A thallus grows from a single cell.
 How many cells
meiosis as it grows? What is the name of that cell?
thick is a thallus?
 What is the ploidy level
(haploid or diploid) of the
photosynthetic tissues seen
here?

Longitudinal section of
Longitudinal section of several
Antheridiophores antheridiophore at 35X
antheridia at 100X (stained)
(stained)
 If a liverwort has
 What is the name of this
only antheridiophores, is
structure?
it a male or female?  Do cells within the antheridia
 What is the function of
 Is this the divide by mitosis or meiosis?
this structure?
gametophyte or a  Are antheridia gametangia?
 What type of gamete is
sporophyte stage of the
produced by this structure?
life cycle?

Archegoniophores Archegoniphores
 Are archegoniophores male or female structures?  What is produced inside the
 Is this organism a gametophyte or a sporophyte? archegonia?

Longitudinal section of a stained Longitudinal section of archegoniophore at

archegoniophore at 35X (stained) 100X (stained)
 What is the name of the structures hanging
 What is the function of this structure?
down from the undersurface of the cap?
 What type of gamete is produced by
 What are the dark structures in the chambers
this structure?
below the cap? What is their ploidy level?
  Sporophytes developing from
Longitudinal section of archegonia at 400X showing
fertilized eggs in archegonia at
eggs and neck canals (stained)
400X (stained)
 Is the sporophyte stage
 How are sperm transferred from the male to the
dependent on or independent of the
female gametophyte?
gametophyte stage in liverworts?
 Describe how fertilization occurs in liverworts.
 What does the sporophyte stage
 Where does it occur?
produce?
 When fertilization occurs here, what develops?
 What is the function of this
 Are archegonia gametangia?
structure?
Self quiz on life cycle stages

 What is dominant generation in the life cycle of this plant?

 Which one is the female and which the male gametophyte?
 What is ploidy level of this structure?
Point to the thalli, gemmae cups, antheridiophores, and archegoniophores in the above photo.
General and Comparative Essay Questions
• What event starts the sporophyte stage in the life cycle of a liverwort? Where does it
occur?
• What event starts the gametophyte stage in the life cycle of a liverwort? Where does it
occur?
• If you wanted to study meiosis in liverworts where would you look for cells that
might be dividing by meiosis?
• Write a short paragraph that explains alternation of generations in liverworts.
• A count of the number of chromosomes in a cell from the thallus of a liverwort
indicated it had 22 chromosomes. How many would you expect to find in a sperm of a
liverwort? In a sporophyte? In a spore?

Phylum (=Division) Bryophyta (Mosses)

In the above photos, identify which are the gametophyte and sporophyte stages.
List two adaptations to the terrestrial environment that this plant shares with all other plants?
List two adaptations lacking in this plant that are found in other plants.
To what phylum does this organism belong?
Which of the stages of the plant's life cycle is dominant in this organism?
Does this plant have true vascular tissues?
Young Gametophyte Stages

Protonema with gametophyte

Early protonema Later protonema
bud (stained)
Is this the start of the
sporophyte or the
What is the ploidy level of
gametophyte stage of the life
this structure?
cycle? Are gametophyte cells haploid
What type of cell division
Are protonemal cells haploid or diploid?
would you expect to find in a
or diploid?
growing protonema?
Protonema grow from what
structure in the life cycle?
Mature Gametophyte Stages

What types of gametes are produced in this

structure?
What is the function of the neck canal seen in
central archegonium?
How does fertilization occur in mosses?
This structure produces gametes through the process
of: A. meiosis; B. mitosis; C. diffusion.
Which of the following best describes the
reproductive organ in the slide? A. Ovary, B.
Microsporangia, C. Archegonia, D. Antheridia.
In this slide, would you expect to see eggs or spores
and why?

Archegonia and paraphyses at 100X

(stained)

Antheridium Longitudinal section of antheridium at Moss sperm (small flagellated

(stained) 35X (stained) cells)
What type of Point to an antheridium. What is the ploidy level of sperm?
cells are What is the ploidy level of cells in the
produced by antheridium? Describe the role of water in
the What type of gamete is produced by this fertilization in the bryophytes.
antheridium? structure? What is the name and function of
Are these cells Which of the following best describes the this structure?
produced by reproductive organ in the slide? A. Ovary,
meiosis or B. Microsporangia, C. Archegonia, D.
mitosis? Antheridia
In mosses, the The cells stained red in this
sperms antheridia/archegonia slide were produced
develop by by ___________ (mitosis or meiosis).
(A) mitosis;
(B) meiosis;
(C)
fertilization;
(D) double
fertilization.

Mature Sporophyte Stages

Sporophyte development Immature and mature

Sporophyte capsules
from Gametophyte Capsule
Is the sporophyte
nutritionally dependent or
independent of the
gametophyte?
Can you grow a moss
sporophyte alone in the
Spore are produced inside these
soil? Why?
capsules by what type of nuclear
Is sporophyte tissue diploid
division?
or haploid? Why?
Are sporophyte cells
produced by mitosis or
meiosis?
What phase of the life
cycle is indicated?
 Capsule l.s. at 35X
Capsules Capsule l.s.
(stained)
What do capsules
produce?
Why are these products
What does this structure contain? important in the life
What is the name of the "lid"
cycle?
on the capsule? WHat is the ploidy level of the Are these products the
What is the function of the chamber wall tissues? Of the result of meiosis or
peristome? chambers contents? mitosis?
What is the ploidy level
of this brown cells in the
chambers?

Cross section of moss gametophyte stem (stained)

Do you see any evidence of vascular tissue in the cross section?
General and Comparative Questions
 Describe the alternation of generations that occurs in the life cycle of a moss.
 How do spores differ from seeds?
 What adaptations do mosses have to a terrestrial way of life?
 What event starts the sporophyte stage of the life cycle of mosses? Where does it occur?
 What event starts the gametophyte stage of the life cycle of mosses? Where does it
occur?
 Which stage in the life cycle of a moss is haploid? Sporophyte? Gametophyte?
 Describe the gametangia in mosses.
 Explain why you would not expect to find only male moss gametophytes growing in one
place in the wild and female gametophytes in another, quite far from the males.
 A species of moss has a diploid number of chromosomes equal to 28. How many
chromosomes will be found in an egg? Zygote? Spore? Photosynthetic "leaf?" Protonema?
 If you were to examine mosses from around the world, none would be more than a foot
tall (if that). How can you explain this? Is there some limitation built into the moss body
plan?
 Mosses tend to thrive in moist damp places and are rarely found in dry places in direct
sunlight. How do you explain this?