gametophyte
Noun
Meaning
the gamete-bearing individual or phase in the life cycle of a plant having alternation of generations
Source: WordNetSynonyms
Hypernyms
Hyponyms
Examples
A later terrestrial adaptation took place with retention of the delicate, avascular sexual stage, the gametophyte, within the tissues of the vascular sporophyte.
In these plants, the embryo begins its existence attached to the inside of the archegonium on a parental gametophyte from which the egg cell was generated.
Any sex organs that are produced by the plant will develop on the gametophyte.
Either the sporophyte or the gametophyte may be reduced (heteromorphic).
In heterosporous vascular plants (plants that produce both microspores and megaspores), the gametophyte develops endosporically, within the spore wall.
The egg producing gametophyte is known as a megagametophyte, because it is typically larger, and the sperm producing gametophyte is known as a microgametophyte.