In the plant life cycle, particularly in vascular plants, the sporophyte stage is the dominant phase. Among the options you provided:
- A conifer: Conifers are gymnosperms and spend most of their life cycle in the sporophyte stage. They develop cones, which produce seeds.
- A fern: Ferns are examples of pteridophytes, which have a prominent sporophyte stage, but the gametophyte stage, though smaller and less noticeable, is also significant in their life cycle.
Based on these explanations, the correct answer is a conifer. Conifers spend most of their time in the sporophyte stage compared to ferns.