Practice question

Embryophytes defined by presence of diploid embryo retained and nourished within maternal gametophyte tissue after fertilization. Key synapomorphies characterizing group include multicellular sporangia enclosing sporopollenin-walled spores protecting against desiccation and UV damage, cuticle made of cutin and waxes, multicellular gametangia with jacket. Charophytes, rhodophytes and phaeophytes lack sporangia with walled spores produced through meiosis protected in multicellular sporangial wall with tapetum. Instead they release naked zygote or zoospores. Walled spores in sporangia correlate with terrestrial habitats requiring desiccation tolerance and dispersal via wind.