chapter 9 Flowers and reproduction

Asexual Reproduction

Fragmentation

a large spreading or vining plant grows to several meters in length and individual parts become self sufficient by establishing adventitious roots

if middle portions of the plant dies, the ends become separated and act as individuals

in willows and many thistles adventurous shoot buds form on roots and then grow into plants

adventitious buds may grow out even while the parent plant is still alive

The plant life cycle

diploid adults have sex organs that produce haploid sex cells called gametes

eggs

sperm

sporophyte phase

sperm and egg recalled a zygote

herbs, trees, shrubs

sporophyte generation

always diploid

meiosis in plants results in haploid gametes

syngamy or fertilization

gametes fussing with other gametes

plant spores undergo mitosis and form a gametophyte

microgametes

megagametes

alteration of generations

a life cycle with two generations

flower structure

stalk is a pedicel

flowers attach receptacle

complete flowers have all four appendages

incomplete flowers do not have all four appendages

Sepals

lowermost and outermost of floral appendages

Petals are above the sepals and on receptacle and make up a the corolla

sepals and petal together constitute the flowers perianth

stamen

above petals are stamens

known collectively as the androecium

stamens have two parts aka the filament

microspores are initially called pollen

androecium

[Carpels]

constitute the gynoecium

three main parts

stigma

style

ovary

inside ovary are placentae

singer for placentae is ovules

ovules have a small central mass of parenchyma called a nucellus

Gametophytes

microgametophyte

vegetative cells and small lens-shaped generative cell divides and forms two sperm cells

after a pollen grain lands on a stigma it germinates by producing a pollen tube

penetrates into the loose open tissues of the stigma

pollen tube absorbs nutrients from the stigma and grows downward through the style

pollen grains are filled with a giant vacuole

megagametophyte

multinucleate megametophyte

the seven cells are one large central cell with two polar nuclei three small antipodal cells and an egg apparatus consisting of two synergids and an egg

called an embryo sac

Fertilization

syngamy of sperm and egg involves both plasmogamy, fusion of the protoplastof the gametes and karyogamy

in angiosperms only the second sperm nucleus released from the pollen tube migrates from the singed into the central cell

it undergoes karyogamy with with both polar nuclei establishing a large endosperm nucleus that is triploid containing three set of genes

Embryo and seed development

has a suspensor which pushes the embryo deep into the endosperm

two primordial cells that grow into two cotyledons

Later in the torpedo stage the embryo is an elongate cylinder: a short axis is established consisting of radicle, epicotyl, hypocotyl

once mature the embryo becomes quiescent and partially dehydrates and the funiculus may break leaving a small scar, the hilum

a mature seed in which endosperm is rather abundant is an albuminous seed

if endosperm is sparse or absent at maturity the seed is exalbuminous

the integuments that surround the nucellus expand and mature into the seed coat also the testa

Fruit development

ovule develops into a seed the ovary mature into a fruit

often three layers become distinct during growth

exocarp is the outer

mesocarp is the middle

endocarp may be tough like the stones or pit of a cherry

entire fruit wall is the pericarp

Cross-pollination

pollination of a carpel by pollen from a different individual

self-pollination is pollination of a carpal by pollen from the same flower or another flower on the same plant

no possibility exists of bringing in new alleles that might provide more fitness than those inherited from the parent

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Stigma and pollen incompatibility

compatibility barriers

chemical reactions between pollen and carpels that prevent pollen growth

in one compatibility system as a pollen tube grows the stigma and style test proteins on the tubes surface

Monocious and Dioecious Species

the latter two organs are essential organs because they produce the critical important spores if either organ is absent sexual reproduction dramatically affected

Flowers that either lack or both essential organs are not only incomplete but are also imperfect flowers

if a flower has both it is a perfect flower

a species may have individuals that produce only staminate flowers and others that produce only carpellate flowers

Monoecy is condition of having staminate flowers located on the same plant as carpellate flowers

dioecy and the species is called dioecious

monoecious species include cattails and corn

Inflorescence and pollination

many flowers grouped together is called an inflorescence

inflorescence give a collective visual signal to pollinators

small flower may be overlooked but not 100 close together is the idea here

when grouped into inflorescences two basic arrangements occur

determinate inflorescences

indeterminate inflorescence

limited potential growth bc the inflorescence apex is converted into a flower

the lowest or outermost flowers open first and even while these flowers are open new flowers are being initiated at the apex

Fruit Types and seed dispersal

the red flesh of a strawberry is the receptacle not the carpel tissue therefor an accessory fruit

pineapples develop from the coalescence of all the many true fruits of one inflorescence so they are a multiple fruit

true fruit

accessory fruit

true fruit is used to refer to the fruits containing one ovarian tissue

accessory fruits used if any non ovarian tissue is present

aggregate fruit would be raspberries

multiple fruit would be figs

Classification of fruit types

dry or fleshy

dry

not typically eaten by the natural seed-distribution animals

fleshy fruit fruits are eaten during the natural seed distribution process

fruit opening

Dehiscent fruits break open and release their seeds

indehiscent fruits do not break open

these are usually fleshy fruits

animals chew or digests the fruits, opening it if uneaten the fruit rots and liberates the seeds

simplest fruits are the ones of grasses

all corn and wheats

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