Tag: classification of pteridophytes

Because Selaginella has both microspores and megaspores, the plant is called as heterosporous. The other fern-allies are homosporous (having only one type/size of spore). This significance of this advance in evolution is important because sexual dimorphism is being expressed much earlier in the life cycle. The organisms to appeared next this are all heterosporous.

A resurrection plant is any poikilohydric plant that can survive extreme dehydration, even over months or years. Selaginella lepidophylla, is known as resurrection plant or birds nest moss as it shows ball like appearance (cespitose habit) in dry season. It is a plant species native to North America, Central and South America, and sold as a novelty.

Heterospory means the production of two spores of different sizes and of two different development patterns. Small spore is called microspore and large spore is called megaspore. Microspore produces the male gametophyte that possesses male sex organs while megaspore produces the female gametophyte that possesses female sex organs. It ultimately leads to seed development. For example, Selaginella, Salvinia, Azolla. Dryopteris and Adiantum are homosporous and haploid spores are produced in each sporangium. 

• Spore is uninucleate haploid spherical structure.
• The spore germinates into gametophyte known as prothallus.
• Prothallus has archegonia present on the ventral side.
• Hence, the Prothallus of Dryopteris is a Gametophyte.  It bears archegonia on the ventral side. 
• So, the correct answer is 'Gametophyte, ventral'.