During the life cycle of a plant, the plant alternates between two forms: the sporophyte generation and the gametophyte generation. So, a complete plant life cycle includes both generations.
| Characteristics | Sporophyte Generation | Gametophyte Generation |
|---|---|---|
| Ploidy (# of sets of chromosomes) | Diploid (2 sets of chromosomes) | Haploid (1 set of chromosomes) |
| Types of cell division and what they’re used for | Mitosis to grow Meiosis to produce haploid spores, which begin the gametophyte generation | Mitosis to grow Mitosis to produce haploid gametes, which join together to form the sporophyte generation |
| How the generation begins | Begins when haploid gametes (sperm and egg) fuse to form a diploid zygote | Begins when the sporophyte produces a haploid spore |
| What it looks like in different kinds of plants | Most visible form in ferns, gymnosperms, and angiosperms Small structures on mosses and lycophytes that grow on the gametophytes | Most visible form in mosses and lycophytes Small but independent structure in ferns’ very small structures in gymnosperms and angiosperms that are enclosed by the sporophyte |
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Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/alternation-of-generations-in-a-plant-life-cycle.navId-323646.html
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