The following questions are based on this description: A biology student hiking in a forest happens upon an erect, 15-cm-tall plant that bears microphylls and a strobilus at its tallest point. When disturbed, the cone emits a dense cloud of brownish dust. A pocket magnifying glass reveals the dust to be composed of tiny spheres with a high oil content. 22. This student has probably found a(n) .A) bryophyte sporophyte. B) lycophyte sporophyte. C) fern sporophyte. D) horsetail gametophyte. E) immature pine tree.

B. Lycophyte sporophyte

Explanation:

Lycophytes belong to the division Lycophyta under Pteridophyta. Lycophytes are group of seedless vascular plants.

The living lycophytes are representatives of a plant group that were dominant during the carboniferous period. The extinct groups of lycophytes were mostly tree like tall and large e.g. Lepidodendron

However, the modern day lycophytes are small and herbaceous. They show alternation of generation with the sporophyte being the dominant phase. The leaves are small and simple with an unbranched midrib,these are called microphylls.

The reproduction in lycophytes takes place through spores which are produced inside a sporangia. Specialized leaf like structures called sporophyll bear the sporangia. These sporophylls may or may not be present at the terminal ends of branches and are arranged into definite strobili.  

Keeping all these features in mind and comparing the characters of the plant found by the student, we can conclude that the plant is more likely to be a lycophyte sporophyte.

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