EVOLUTION OF THE OVULE : Heterospory, megasporangium enclosed in integuments, retention of megaspores within megasporangium, reduction of number of megasporocytes/ megasporangium to 1, survival of 1 megaspore, endosporic megagametophyte, modification of megasporangium apex for microspores or microgametophytes, embryo develop within microgametophyte
HETEROSPORY : megaspores-> megagametophyte, microspores-> microgametophyte, found in some non-seed plants
MEGASPORANGIUM ENCLOSED IN INTEGUMENTS 1st integument telomes, 2nd integument phyllad origin
REDUCE # OF MEGASPOROCYTES/MEGASPORANGIUM TO 1 : megasporocyte - mega spore mother cell, reduced to 1 per megasporangium rather than hundreds
SURVIVAL OF 1 MEGASPORE : megasporocyte undergoes meiosis- 4 daughter cells, 3 degenerate, 1 megaspore remains
RETENTION OF MEGASPORES WITHIN MEGASPORANGIUM : reudced megaspores with 3 other aborted, large megaspore retained inside megasporangium, extra layer of protection
ENDOSPORIC MEGAGAMETOPHYTE : megagametophyte retained inside megaspore wall, fertilization of egg occurs in wall, extra layer of protection
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