considerable

characters.the
carefully
SELAGINELLA
morphology. Adult
A.
Species
3. Syst
posi
emat
ti
mentionedAs
oc
spn
orangI
the sporopte
So,
sporophytevariation of
it above.
Selagine
is (Fig.
advisable in 6.8)
and size,
symmetry
to l a
note to
examine show
down
and
 127

aler is colour 4 parts-

The adult Sporophyte consists of
stem, leaf, rhizophore and root.
a sporangium () Stem
(a) In the species like S. rupestris, S.
e, sac-like the stem is
PVgmaea, S. relaginoides completely
nd kidney Usually more or lesssymmetrical.
upright and radially
spores are The stem is profusely branched.
S.
(6) In the species like S. kraussiana,
etc. the
lepidophylla, S. martensii
differentiated
stem is dorsiventrally suberect
and prostrate, but it may be stem is
or suberect climbing. The
highly branched.
(ii) Leaves
lanceolate to
(a) The leaves are small, and
Ovate inform. They are thin
delicate in texture.
rows.
(6) The leaves are arranged in leaves
There are two rows of smaller
rows of
on the upperside and two
NGIUM larger leaves on the lower side.
DPHYLL (c) Each leaf is provided with a small
membraneous outgrowth, the ligule
on its upper surface near the base.
(iii) Rhizophore. At the ramification of
structure
stem, a colourless, prop-like
OF
DBILUS is producted, called a rhizophore. It
gives rise to a cluster of adventitious
roots when strikes the ground.
(iv) Roots. Roots are adventitious in
obilus.
nature, delicate and dichotomously
obilus of branched.
ylls and (v) The reproductive part is the strobilus
which is well differentiated from the
vegetative parts.
The above mentioned characters suggest
that the sporophyte (plant body) is of
Selaginella.
Systematic position
show Class : Lycopsida
netry and
examine
Order : Selaginellales
bte down Family Selaginellaceae
Genus Selaginella.
 spaces. having
air trabeculae prosenchymatous
cells. consistsof
elongated radially single-layered
cells,
ed ofendodermis
rows
is
and Epidermis
is (b)
b)
yer, cortical
innermost The (d) region. stelar central a
spaces. cellular andcortex thick middle epidermis,a
zones--an
Outer three reveals
withoutparenchymatous
cells stem of transverse
section
omposedof cortex
is The (c) 6.9) (Fig. stemThe T.(aS). B.
ev the knot
atswollen fromspringing hypocotyl. upright
a system root with Plantspinulosa. strobilus.
S.C.
enlarged plant portion
a of small sporophyte.
B. portion
of Selaginella
A.sp. 6.8. Fig.
B

STEM

ROOT LEAF

STEM STROBILUS

ROOT

RHIZOPHORE
STEM

LEAF

CTICAL DEGREE 128

PTERIDOPHYTES
129

EPIDERMIS

CORTEX

TRABECULAE

STELE

CORTEX

TRABECULAE

PERICYCLE

PHLOEM

METAXYLEM

PROTOXYLEM
B

Fig. 6.9. Selaginellasp. A. transverse section of stem B. part of a transverse section of stem to show
inner cortex, trabeculae and single stele.
(e) The stelar organisation varies in C. T.S. of Rhizophore (Fig. 6.10)
among the species Selaginella, (a) The T.S. of
starting from simplest protostelic to rhizophore shows three
siphonostetic condition and regions an epidermis, cortex and
stele.
monostelic to polystelic types. The
stele is distelic in most common (b) The epidermis is single-layered of
species S. kraussiana. Each stele has large cells.
a pericycle enclosing a simple (c) The cortex is either thin-walled
protostele or siphonostele. parenchy matous or having a
It is identified as stem anatony of hypodermis of 3 to 5 layers of
Selaginella. sclerotic cells.
(d) The stele is protoste and monarch
Systematic position (i.e. having a patch of xylem and
As mentioned earlier. phloem each) and exarch.
 PTERIDOPH
DEGREE PRACTICAL
BOT ANY
130 EPIDERMIS

CORTEX

UPPEREPIDERMIS
ENDODERMIS VASCULAR BUNDLE

PERICYCLE

MESOPHYLL

METAXYLEM

PROTOXYLEM
INTERCELLULAR
LOWER EPIDERMIS
SPACE
PHLOEM
B
leaf.
section of
rhizophore B. T.S. of
Selaginella sp, A, Transverse
Fig.6.10.
E. L.S. of: strobilus
(Fig. 6.11)
rhizophore of
It is identified as T.S. of (a) Strobilus in longitudinal section
Selaginella. shows an axis and carrying a large
Systematic position number of sporophylls which
As mentioned earlier. ultimately bear spores.
D. T.S. Leaf (Fig. 6.10) (6) The sporophylls are spirally arranged
On the axis.
(a) The epidermis is one cell in
thickness for both the upper and (c) According to the presence of spores,
lower surfaces. Both the surfaces the sporophylls are either
may have similar cells or cells may
differ in size. microsporophyll (microspores) or
mega sporophyll (megaspores).
(b) The miesophyll in the leaf is not
differentiated. They consist of (d) The arrangement of micro- and
similar cells, more or less alongated mega-sprophylls following variations
without intercellular spaces. may be observed in the strobilus.
(c) The single median vascular is
() Either only
concentric. The xylem consists of
only tracheids while phtoem megasporophylIsareor
only microsporophylls
constitutes layer of parenchyma and
one or two sieve elements.
present (S. gracilis, S.
is present
A bundle
covering the vascular
atroviridis).
(ü) Both
bundle.
It is the T.S. of leaf of
Selaginella.
microsporophyll
megasporophylls
strobilus (S. kraussiana).
in
anthe
Systematic position (ii) One
As mentioned earlier. side of the strobilus has

mioregana).
sidecrospormegasporophyll
ophyll (S. and the other
PTERIDOPHYTES
131

MICROSPORANGIUM
MICROSPOROPHYLL

MEGASPORANGIUM
MEGASPOROPHYLL
B

VEGETATIVE
REGION
MICROSPORANGIUM
MICROSPOROPHYLL

STROBILUS

MEGASPORANGIUM

MEGASPOROPHYLL

Fig. 6.11. Selaginella sp. A-D. L.S. of strobili.

(iv) But in general, megasporo two layers of cells. Tapetal layer
phylls are present towards may be observed.
proximal part and microsporo (g) Microsporangium contains numerous
phylls remain towards distal microspores while megasporangium
part. contains a fewer megaspores.
(e) Adjacent to the base of the stalk of It is identified as L.S. of strobilus of
sporangium a ligule is found. Selaginella.
() Mature sporangia are stalked Systematic position
structures. The wall of it consists of As mentioned earlier.