The Life Cycle of Moss from Spore to Mature Plant: Here's How It Works

Moss life cycle. (Photo: bskdn.kemendagri.go.id)

YOGYAKARTA - Mosses are cormus plants (having stems, leaves, and roots), but they produce spores for reproduction. Therefore, mosses share similarities with ferns in their reproductive processes. However, what is the life cycle of moss, and what distinguishes it from ferns? Read the full review below.

Moss Life Cycle Sequence

Mosses, or bryophytes, are among the largest plant species in the world, numbering 25,000 species. Unlike other plants, mosses lack phloem and xylem, but instead have vascular tissue called pith.

According to the book "Ready to Face the National Exam for Junior High School/Islamic Junior High School" by Aung Nugroho et al. (2009:136), the general outline of the moss life cycle is as follows:

1. Protonema

The initial phase of the moss life cycle begins with spores. If the moss lives in a favorable environment, the spores will develop into branching green threads, commonly called protonema.

The protonema then grows into a moss plant and produces gametophytes, consisting of male and female gametes called anthredia and archegonium.

2. Antheridium

The antheridium is the shoot of a moss plant that produces male gametes. The antheridium then produces several motile sperm cells, which are equipped with flagella.

3. Archegonium

The archegonium is the shoot of a moss plant that produces female gametes. The archegonium will eventually produce egg cells.

4. Zygote

The next step is for the sperm cell to swim towards the archegonium with the help of water. This is why moss requires water to reproduce.

The sperm cell will then meet the egg cell, and fertilization will occur. This fertilization will produce a zygote and begin the sporophyte phase.

5. Sporangium

After the zygote is produced, mitosis will occur, and sporangia will be produced. The sporangium contains spore mother cells, sealed by an operculum and enclosed by a calyptra.

6. Spore

The spore mother cells contained within the sporangium will then divide by meiosis, producing haploid cells. This will cause the operculum and calyptra to open, releasing the spores.

What Distinguishes Mosses from Ferns?

In general, the life cycle of mosses is similar to that of ferns. However, there are several differences between the two, including:

In mosses, the gametophyte development is longer and more dominant than the sporophyte development. This gametophyte supports the sporophyte. Conversely, in ferns, the sporophyte development is more dominant than the gametophyte development. Therefore, the gametophyte only serves to support the initial development of the sporophyte.

Ferns are the result of the union of two sex cells within the plant itself. Mosses, on the other hand, are the result of spore development through meiosis.

Ferns produce spores of different shapes and sizes (microspores and macrospores). Mosses, on the other hand, do not produce distinct spores.

Fern spores move horgotically until the spore capsule ruptures, aiding in their dispersal by wind. Mosses, on the other hand, reproduce asexually by forming buds and thallus fragments.

This concludes the review of the moss life cycle. We hope this information is helpful! Visit VOI.id for more interesting information.