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Archegoniophore of a liverwort
Legend:
1 archegonial head
English name: A liverwort
Scientific name: Marchantia sp.
Familia: Marchantiaceae
Classis: Hepatopsida
Phylum: Hepatophyta
Regnum: Plantae
The archegonia (haploid = n) are located at the lower side of the archegonial head (also n). Each archegonium contains one egg cell that may be fertilized by a sperm (n) splashed by rain from the antheria on the antheridiophore. After fertilization the zygote develops to a diploid embryo and subsequently to a (also 2 n) sporophyte that remains attached to the lower side of the archegonial head. Meiosis occurs in the sporophyte, giving rise to haploid spores.
