Life cycle of a gymnosperm.
- Sporophytes bear cones.
- Pollen cones contain microsporangia with microsporocytes.
- Ovulate cones contain ovules,
each with one megasporangium and a megasporocyte.
- Microsporocytes undergo meiosis and
develop into male gametophytes (pollen grains).
- Megasporocytes undergoe meiosis to produce megaspores.
- A megaspore develops into a female gametophyte containing eggs.
- The pollen grain germinates a sperm
cell which moves down the
pollen tube
to fertilize an egg
to produce a zygote.
- The ovule
becomes a seed: an embryo, food supply, and seed coat.
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