A well developed archegonium with neck consisting of 46 rows and neck canal cells, characterises (a) gymnosperms and flowering plants (b) pteridophytes and gymnosperms (c) gymnosperms only (d) bryophytes and pteridophytes.
Option D Bryophytes and pteridophytes both have alternation of generation. The gametophytic phase is dominant in bryophytes whereas in pteridophytes it is short lived. Sex organs are embedded is some members of bryophytes and pteridophytes. Sperms are flagellate and so water is required for fertilization. Sterile jacket is present around the sex organs for protection. Archegonium appeared for the first time in bryophytes in plant kingdom. It is a flask shaped structure. It has swollen basal portion called venter and upper elongated neck. The venter has egg cell and venter canal cell. There are 46 vertical rows of neck cells enclosing neck canal cells in bryophytes. The archegonia have short neck made of four rows of vertically elongated cells that encloses four neck canal cells in pteridophytes.
