HORTICULTURE

Detailed explanation-1: -The fern gametophyte is a small plant that exists as a prolonged intermediate in the fern life cycle, between the germination of a spore and the mature sporophyte. Following its emergence from a spore, it grows from two cells into a distinctively shaped structure containing several hundred cells.

Detailed explanation-2: -The sporophyte generally releases spores in the summer. Spores must land on a suitable surface, such as a moist protected area to germinate and grow into gametophytes. The mature gametophyte of many of our ferns looks like a little flat green heart, about the size of a fingernail.

Detailed explanation-3: -A prothallus, or prothallium, (from Latin pro = forwards and Greek (thallos) = twig) is usually the gametophyte stage in the life of a fern or other pteridophyte. Occasionally the term is also used to describe the young gametophyte of a liverwort or peat moss as well.

Detailed explanation-4: -The sexual form, called the gametophyte or prothallium, is a tiny kidney-shaped haploid (N) plant that is difficult to find in the wild. The asexual form, or sporophyte, is represented by the commonly known and cultivated fern plant, and is diploid (2N).