Question

Name and compare various types of life cycle patterns exhibited by plants. Draw diagram of each.
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Answer 1

Answer:

The life cycles of all sexually reproducing plants follow a pattern of alternation between a haploid, sexual generation called gametophyte with a diploid, asexual generation called sporophyte.

This phenomenon of alternation between gametophyte (n) and sporophyte (2n) in the life cycle of a plant is called alternation of generations (Hofmeister, 1851).

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Alternation of generations is of two types- isomorphic and heteromorphy. In isomorphic (or homologous) type both the alternating generations are morphologically similar, while in heteromophic (or heterologous) type of alternation of generations both the generations of life cycle are morphologically dissimilar.