Discussion:
Bryophyte - Life history
1. If you were looking for mosses, what are some of the characteristics of the habitats in which you would take? Explain your answer based on your knowledge of bryophyte life history.
2. Compare and contrast the alternation of generations in mosses, ferns and pines. Which generation is dominant in each case? Is it haploid or diploid?
3. Why do mosses only grow a few centimeters in height, whereas conifers can grow hundreds of feet in height?
4. You have just collected a plant that is totally unfamiliar to you. On close examination, you find that it lacks xylem and its multicellular sex organs are enclosed in a layer of sterile (jacket) cells. In addition, its gametophyte stage is free-living. This plant probably belongs to which group of plants?
5. Multiple choice - check all that apply - there is more than one correct response. JUSTIFY YOUR ANSWER IN EACH CASE.
An important evolutionary trend in vascular plants is
a. the development of seeds
b. a decrease in the size of the gametophyte
c. increasingly complex vascular systems