Fern plants. Like all other vascular plants, the diploid sporophyte is the dominant phase or generation in the life cycle. The gametophytes of ferns, however, are very different from those of seed plants. They are free-living and resemble liverworts, whereas those of seed plants develop within the spore wall and are dependent on the parent sporophyte for their nutrition. A fern gametophyte typically consists of: Ferns first appear in the fossil record in the early Carboniferous period. By the Triassic, the first evidence of ferns related to several modern families appeared. The great fern radiation occurred in the late Cretaceous, when
Dominant culture culture that is dominant within a particular geopolitical entity can change over time in response to internal or external factors, but one is usually very resilient and able to reproduce itself effectively from generation to generation. In a multicultural society, various cultures are celebrated and respected equally. A dominant culture can be promoted deliberately and by the suppression of minority cultures or subcultures. In the United States, a distinction is often made between the indigenous culture of Native Americans, and a dominant culture that may be described as "Anglo", "white", "middle class", and so on. Some Native Americans are seen