Pteridophyte Sporophyte Structure — NEET Biology
✅ Asked in NEET 2020You may recall that in bryophytes the dominant phase in the life cycle is the gametophytic plant body. However, in pteridophytes, the main plant body is a sporophyte which is differentiated into true root, stem and leaves. These organs possess well-differentiated vascular tissues. The leaves in pteridophyta are small (microphylls) as in Selaginella or large (macrophylls) as in ferns. The sporophytes bear sporangia that are subtended by leaf-like appendages called sporophylls. In some cases sporophylls may form distinct compact structures called strobili or cones (Selaginella, Equisetum). The sporangia produce spores by meiosis in spore mother cells. The spores germinate to give rise to inconspicuous, small but multicellular,
NTA tests whether students understand that pteridophytes have a dominant sporophytic plant body with true roots, stems, and leaves, unlike bryophytes where gametophyte is dominant. The key concept is that sporophylls (fertile leaves) can form specialized structures called strobili or cones, especially in Selaginella and Equisetum. Students often confuse sporophylls with regular leaves or forget that strobili are compact reproductive structures. Remember: sporophylls are specialized leaves bearing sporangia, and when clustered together, they create the cone-like strobilus structure. This distinction between vegetative and reproductive leaf modifications is crucial for understanding pteridophyte reproduction and anatomy.
Strobili or cones are found in:
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