Biomedical Admissions Practice Test

Answer: C, This is an example of alteration of generation.

Key Takeaway: The reproductive cycle of a plant fluctuates between producing diploid sporophytes that produce spores through mitotic division and gametophytes which give rise to the gametes. Which process is dominant depends greatly on the type of plant. In flowering plants, the dominant generation is diploid, which means that the flowering plants that you see on a daily basis are all diploid in nature. The opposite is true of ferns, and the haploid gamete can give rise to a fully mature fern plant.