31. Mature sporophytes remain attached to the gametophyte. 32. The sporophyte remains small and dependent on the parent gametophyte for its entire brief life. 33. The sporophyte produces spores which develop into free-living male and female gametophyte plants. 34. The blades of the new sporophyte grow from one or two initial blades by splitting. 35. Fire moss sporophytes appear early in the spring, as soon as the snow melts. 36. Sporophytes are rarely produced, although they are reported to be abundant in coastal areas.37. The diploid sporophytes appear only occasionally and remain attached to and nutritionally dependent on the gametophyte. 38. The mature sporophyte produces haploid spores which grow into a gametophyte, thus completing the cycle. 39. Liverworts have a gametophyte-dominant life cycle, with the sporophyte dependent on the gametophyte. 40. Even in other bryophytes, the sporophyte is persistent and disperses spores over an extended period.
