Question

The first stage of the gametophytic phase of the life cycle of moss is

• A. spore
• B. leafy stage
• C. protonema
• D. foliose stage

Answer 1

The correct option is C protonema

The predominant stage of the life cycle of a moss is the gametophyte which consists of two stages.
The first stage is the protonema stage, which develops directly from a spore. It is a creeping, green, branched and frequently filamentous stage.
The second stage is the leafy stage, which develops from the secondary protonema as a lateral bud. They consist of upright, slender axes bearing spirally arranged leaves. Foliose (leafy) stage is the adult stage in moss, not the first or juvenile stage of the life cycle.