History

The haploid gametophyte and the diploid sporophyte are the two phases (ontogenies) that all terrestrial plants alternate between, which was recognized by German botanists Hofmeister (1851, 1862) and Strasburger (1894). Despite significant physical distinctions and variances among main groups, Hofmeister’s research revealed that the life cycle and technique of reproduction of land plants are fundamentally identical. This discovery has had a significant impact on systematic botany. It has sparked much debate about the development of life cycles and the causes of the morphological variations between gametophytes and sporophytes.