A gametophyte is a stage in the life cycle of plants and some algae, characterized by the production of gametes, which are reproductive cells. In the alternation of generations, the gametophyte is typically haploid, meaning it has one set of chromosomes. This stage develops from spores and can be found in various forms, such as mosses and ferns. In plants like mosses, the gametophyte is the dominant stage, while in others, like ferns, it is smaller and less noticeable. The gametophyte produces male and female gametes through mitosis, which then fuse during fertilization to form a diploid zygote, leading to the next stage, the sporophyte.