How do ferns reproduce sexually

Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph. Chemistry Expert. Helmenstine holds a Ph. She has taught science courses at the high school, college, and graduate levels. Facebook Facebook Twitter Twitter. Updated December 28, Featured Video. Cite this Article Format. Helmenstine, Anne Marie, Ph. The Fern Life Cycle. An Introduction to Male and Female Gonads. Plant Life Cycle: Alternation of Generations. Gametophyte Generation of the Plant Life Cycle.

A Genetics Definition of Homologous Chromosomes. All About Haploid Cells in Microbiology. Your Privacy Rights. The recognizable plants we call ferns are only one step in a bi-generational life cycle. As flowerless plants, ferns do not bear seeds. Instead, they produce spores typically on the backs of their leaves, which are called fronds. The common staghorn fern Platycerium bifurcatum , which is a perennial in U. It produces rusty-looking spores on the tips of its fronds.

When the fern spores mature, they are ejected from their cases and dispersed by the wind. What is the relationship between the antheridiogen response in the gametophyte to GA responses in the sporophyte? Knowing that some mutations in C. Is antheridiogen also involved in the developmental decision to produce mega- and micro-sporangia in heterosporous ferns?

From an evolutionary perspective, was the antheridiogen signaling and responses in the gametophyte co-opted during or important for the evolution of heterospory from homospory in ferns? Addressing these and other questions will lead to a more comprehensive understanding of sex determination in ferns, including an understanding of the molecular mechanisms at play. The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

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Abscisic acid blocks antheridiogen-induced antheridium formation in gametophytes of the fern Ceratopteris. Abscisic acid resistant mutants in the fern Ceratopteris : characterization and genetic analysis. Genetic characterization of a mutation that enhances paraquat tolerance in the fern Ceratopteris richardii. Isolation and characterization of antheridiogen-resistant mutants in the fern Ceratopteris. Selection of a mutation conferring high nacl tolerance to gametophytes of ceratopteris.

The biology of the fern Ceratopteris and its use as a model system. Jimenez, A. Reproductive and competitive interactions among gametophytes of the allotetraploid fern Dryopteris corleyi and its two diploid parents. Kurumatani, M. Isolation and identification of antheridiogens in the ferns, Lygodium microphyllum and Lygodium reticulatum. If the spores happen to land somewhere suitable, they will grow into what is called a gametophyte, and that is a whole separate individual plant.

What that does is it will produce the sex cells, the eggs and the sperm. The sperm needs to swim through water in order to get to the eggs. The eggs are housed or maintained in the gametophyte.

And that dependence on water is why ferns are so often linked to wet habitats. If the sperm do manage to get to an egg, fertilisation occurs, and that is where the two, the sperm and egg come together. It doubles the number of chromosomes, and that gives rise to a whole new typical fern plant again, and the cycle repeats.

In this activity, students learn how to propagate ferns. All ferns reproduce by means of spores.