Let me share with you a difference between gametophyte and sporophyte generation.
| Aspect | Gametophyte | Sporophyte |
| Introduction | Haploid phase in the plant life cycle that produces gametes. | Diploid phase in the plant life cycle that produces spores. |
| Chromosome Number | Haploid (n) | Diploid (2n) |
| Develop from | Spores or gametes | Fusion of gametes (zygote) |
| Dominancy | Dominant in bryophytes (mosses, liverworts) and some algae | Dominant in vascular plants (ferns, gymnosperms, angiosperms) |
| Size and Structure | Generally smaller and simpler in structure | Typically, larger and more complex in structure |
| Reproductive Structures | Produces gametangia that produce gametes. | Produces sporangia that produce spores. |
| Sexual Reproduction | Produces haploid gametes through mitosis. | Fusion of gametes (fertilization) produces a diploid zygote, which develops into a sporophyte. |
| Asexual Reproduction | · Fragmentation · Spore production |
· Spore production |
| Examples | · Moss gametophyte
· Fern prothallus |
· Fern sporophyte
· Pine tree · Flowering plant |
| Significance | Thought to be more ancestral in evolutionary terms. | Represents a more advanced stage in plant evolution. |