Unlike lower groups like bryophytes and pteridophytes, in Gymnosperms the male and the female gametophytes do not have an independent free-living existence. They remain within the sporangia retained on the sporophytes.
The pollen grain is released from the microsporangium. They are carried in air currents (anemophily) and come in contact with the opening of the ovules borne on megasporophylls. The pollen tube carrying the male gametes grow towards archegonia in the ovules and discharge their contents near the mouth of the archegonia.