Name three groups of plants that bear archegonia. Briefly describe the life cycle of any one of them.
Archegonia is the female reproductive organ of Bryophytes Pteridophytes and Gymnosperms groups of plants. The life cycle of gymnosperms: The gymnosperms are heterosporous, they produce haploid microspores and megaspores. The two kinds of spores are produced within sporangia that are borne oil sporophylls which are arranged spirally along an axis to form lax or compact strobili or cones. The strobili bearing microsporophylls and microsporangia are called microsporangia or male strobili. The microspores develop into a male gametophytic generation which is highly reduced and is confined to only a limited number of cells. This reduced gametophyte is called pollen-grain. The development of pollen- grains takes place within the microsporangia. The cones Rearing megasporophylls with ovules or megasporangia are called microsporangia or female strobili. The male or female cones or strobili may be borne on the same tree or on different trees. The megaspore mother cell is differentiated from one of the cells of the nucellus. The nucellus is protected by envelopes and the composite structure is called an ovule. The ovules are borne on megasporophylls which may be clustered to form the female cones. The female cones are borne on the main plant body of the sporophyte. The megaspore mother cell divides meiotically to form four megaspores. One of the megaspores enclosed within the megasporangium (nucleus) develops into a multicellular female gametophyte that bears two or more archegonia or female sex organs. The multicellular female gametophytes are also retained within megasporangium.
