NEET BIOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -Ferns contain a dominant sporophyte whereas mosses contain a dominant gametophyte. By sporophyte dominant we mean that the sporophyte is larger and lives a longer time than the gametophytic generation. In gametophyte dominant plants, the gametophyte is longer lived than the sporophytic generation.

Detailed explanation-2: -(iii) Mosses have separate male and female gametophytes whereas gametophyte of ferns have both male and female parts on the same plant.

Detailed explanation-3: -In mosses, sporophytes lack chlorophyll and depend on photosynthetic gametophyte for food, whereas, in ferns, sporophyte stage has true roots, stem and leaves and does not depend on gametophyte.

Detailed explanation-4: -Mosses, like other bryophytes, show an alternation of generations, or metagenesis, between the independent gametophyte generation, which produces the sex organs and sperm and eggs, and the dependent sporophyte generation, which produces spores.

Detailed explanation-5: -All green plants alternate between the gametophyte and sporophyte life stages, but only seed‐free vascular plants (ferns and lycophytes) have independent, free‐living gametophytes.