Gymnosperms refer to vascular plants in which ovules are not enclosed inside the ovary wall. The seeds produced are naked.
Example: conifers, gnetophytes, cycads, etc.
The life cycle of a gymnosperm includes both diploid sporophyte and haploid gametophyte.
The haploid phase comprises the male and female gametophyte, and is restricted to few cells. They remain confined to the microsporangium and megasporangium present on the sporophylls. They give rise to the sperm and egg cells.
The diploid phase refers to the presence of two sets of chromosomes. The dominant phase is the diploid sporophyte.