The aim of the series is to present relatively short accounts of areas of developmental and cell biology where sufficient information has accumulated to allow a considered distillation of the cells. This book studies the developmental biology of fern gametophytes, from their beginning through growth and maturation to their reproductive strategies. The books are intended to interest and instruct advanced undergraduates and graduate students and to make an important contribution to teaching cell and developmental biology. At the same time, they should be of value to biologists who, while not working directly in the area of a particular volume's subject matter, wish to keep abreast of developments relative to their particular interests.