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How are spores produced in bryophytes?

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Thick green bryophyte moss covers the trunks of three oak trees in a forest, with fallen leaves on the ground. — bryophyte Bryophyte moss growing on oak trees.

In bryophytes, spores are produced through a process called meiosis within the sporophyte generation.12

The life cycle of a bryophyte involves an alternation of generations, where the diploid (2n) sporophyte develops from a zygote formed by fertilization. As the sporophyte matures, it remains physically attached to and nutritionally dependent on the gametophyte.123

The production of spores occurs as follows:
* Sporogenesis: Within the sporophyte, specialized diploid cells known as sporocytes (or spore mother cells) undergo meiotic division.2
* Tetrad Formation: Each meiotic division of a sporocyte results in a tetrad of four haploid (1n) spores.2
* Structure: These spores are contained within a single sporangium, which is typically located at the end of an elongated stalk called a seta.13
* Release: When the sporangium is mature, it ruptures—often using specialized structures to aid in expulsion—to release the spores into the environment, where they can germinate to form new gametophytes.13