Sporophyte

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In plants that undergo alternation of generations, a sporophyte is the structure, or phase of life, that contains a total complement of chromosomes:

• The sporophyte produces spores, in a process called meiosis. These spores develop into a gametophyte. These spores and the resulting gametophyte have only half of the total complement of chromosomes.
• The gametophyte produces male or female gametes (or both), in a process called mitosis. The fusion of male and female gametes produces a zygote which develops into the sporophyte.

In the normal course of events, the zygote and sporophyte will have a full set of chromosomes again. An example of an exception is when a diploid and haploid gamete fuse, resulting in a triploid sporophyte (this will usually be sterile, as dividing three sets of chromsomes into two halves causes complications).

The sporophyte is the commonly known form in ferns, gymnosperms, and angiosperms (flowering plants). In some plants, the sporophyte is initially parasitic on the gametophyte for a time. In mosses the commonly known form will be the gametophyte.bg:Спорофит de:Sporophyt fr:Sporophyte nl:Sporofyt pl:Sporofit ru:Спорофит sv:Sporofyt