briefly explain the lifecycle of pteridophytes

The pteridophytes includes mainly ferns. They are the first terrestrial plants that possess vascular bundles. The main plant body is sporophyte differentiated into true root, stems and the leaves. The leaves are small(microphylls) as well as large(macrophylls). The sporophytes bear the sporangia that are leaflike appendages called sporophylls. Sporangia produces spores by meiosis in spore mother cells. The spores gives rise to photosynthetic thalloid gametophyte  called prot​hallus. The male and the female sex organs are known as antheridia and archegonia respectively. Fusion of the male gamete with the egg present in archegonium result in the formation of zygote. Zygote is a multicellular sporophyte which is the dominant phase of pteridophytes. The megaspores and the microspores germinate and give rise to female and male gametophytes. The development of the zygote into young embryo takes place within a female gametophyte.