Final answer:
The false statement about ferns is that most are heterosporous, as ferns are actually homosporous, producing only one type of spore. Fern sporophytes are the prominent stage and grow independently from the gametophyte after initial stages of development.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement about ferns that is false is B. Most are heterosporous. Ferns are typically homosporous, meaning they produce one type of spore that develops into a bisexual (both male and female) gametophyte, which in turn produces both archegonia (female organs) and antheridia (male organs). The sporophyte of the fern is the dominant stage in the life cycle, and it is diploid, meaning it has two sets of chromosomes. Fern gametophytes are usually small and heart-shaped, and they exist independent from the sporophyte once the latter has matured enough. When fertilization occurs, the sperm from the gametophyte's antheridia swim to the egg in the archegonia, resulting in a zygote that grows into a new sporophyte, which then produces fronds with sporangia where meiosis occurs to produce haploid spores, continuing the life cycle.