What is the name of the cell produced on the underside of a fern
The name of the cell produced on the underside of a fern is the "sporocyte," also known as the "spore mother cell." To find the answer, you can consider the life cycle of a fern and the process of spore formation.
1. Fern Life Cycle: Ferns undergo an alternation of generations life cycle, consisting of two distinct phases: the sporophyte and the gametophyte. The sporophyte is the familiar leafy fern plant, and the gametophyte is a small, independent plant phase.
2. Spore Formation: In the sporophyte stage of a fern's life cycle, special structures called sporangia develop on the undersides of fern leaves, often grouped into clusters called sori. The sporangia contain sporocytes, which undergo the process of meiosis to produce spores.
3. Sporocyte (Spore Mother Cell): Within each sporangium, the sporocyte or spore mother cell undergoes the process of meiosis, a type of cell division that reduces the chromosome number by half. This division creates haploid spores, which are the cells that can grow into the gametophyte stage of the fern.
In summary, the cell produced on the underside of a fern is called the sporocyte or spore mother cell, which undergoes meiosis to produce spores.