Gametofüüdseks

Gametofüüdseks, often rendered as gametophyte, refers to the haploid multicellular stage in the life cycle of plants and algae that alternates with the diploid sporophyte stage. This phase of the life cycle is characterized by producing gametes, which are reproductive cells, through the process of mitosis. These gametes, when they fuse during fertilization, form a diploid zygote, which then develops into the sporophyte.

In simpler terms, the gametophyte is the generation that bears the sex organs. In many plants, such as mosses and liverworts, the gametophyte is the dominant and most conspicuous generation. In ferns and seed plants, the gametophyte is significantly reduced in size and is often dependent on the sporophyte for nourishment and protection. For instance, in flowering plants, the male gametophyte is the pollen grain, and the female gametophyte is the embryo sac within the ovule. The transition between the gametophyte and sporophyte generations is a fundamental aspect of the alternation of generations, a key concept in plant biology.