Gametoforát

Gametoforát is a term used in botany, specifically in the study of mosses and liverworts (bryophytes). It refers to the gametophyte generation, which is the dominant and conspicuous phase of the bryophyte life cycle. In contrast to vascular plants, where the sporophyte generation is dominant, the gametophyte of bryophytes is typically a free-living, photosynthetic organism. This gametophyte bears the reproductive organs, the antheridia (male) and archegonia (female), which produce gametes. Following fertilization, a sporophyte develops from the archegonium, but it remains attached to and dependent on the gametophyte for nutrition. The sporophyte eventually produces spores, which are dispersed to germinate and form new gametophytes, thus completing the life cycle. Therefore, the gametoforát represents the haploid, sexual generation of these plants. Its structure can vary greatly among different bryophyte species, ranging from simple, thalloid forms to more complex, leafy structures.