Features

• Photosynthetic organisms that retain, protect, and nourish their embryos on the female gametophyte

  • Unlike photosynthetic algae that form zygotes, which are released into the environment with little to no protection or nourishment from the female gametophyte

• Comprises all land plants, including bryophytes and polysporangiophytes, including lycophytes and euphyllophytes, such as monilophytes & seed plants

• Haplo-diplontic lifecycle

  • Sporophyte (2n): diploid stage that produces haploid spores through meiosis 

  • Gametophyte (1n): haploid stage that germinates from spores, and produces gametes