Apomorphy vs Synapomorphy

All these terms have to do with identifying organisms,

called taxa, into "family trees", according to identifying
traits or characteristics.
Synapomorphy: a trait share by 2 or more taxa and their
most recent common ancestor. Derived from an
apomorphy. Within the group which shares the apomorphy
it can be synapomorphy (shared) between the two.
Plesiomorphy: A characteristic shared by 2 or more taxa
also found in their earliest common ancestor. Close
form-ancestral state. Characteristic state that is found at
the base of a tree. Since a plesiomorphy inherited from the
common ancestor may appear anywhere in a tree, its
presence provides no evidence of relationships within the
tree. They should not be used to define a group in a
system based on phylogeny
Apomorphy: A characteristic believed to have evolved
within a family tree; can be used to separate one group
from the other. A derived state that has evolved within the
tree. Used to separate one group in the tree from the rest.

Modern Phylogenies
Based on DNA sequence data and/or
morphology
Monophyletic groups are the goal

What is Systematics or Why Study

Systematics?
Taxonom
y

Phylogenetics
Biosystematics

adaptive radiation is a process in which organisms diversify

rapidly from an ancestral species into a multitude of new forms,
particularly when a change in the environment makes new
resources available, creates new challenges, or opens new
environmental niches

Flowering Plants: Titles

Class Angiospermae

Class Angiospermae : Flowering Plants

Angio = vessel refers to the ovary which develops
into fruit. separates from Gymnosperms (seed)
Angiosperms are the largest group of plants with an
estimated 350,000-400,000 species divided into
more than 400 families (6 x the number of species of ALL
other plant groups combined!)

The class is the most recently evolved major group of

plants, first appearing in the fossil record during the
lower Cretaceous Period about 125 mya
Major radiation lead to global distribution around 95 mya
Angiosperms quickly became the dominant plant

Although gymnosperms continued to rule in cold, dry, or

sandy habitats, as they still do today

# of families

Regardless of the origin of the angiosperms, by the

end of the Cretaceous (65-70 million years after their
first appearance) most flowering plant families had
evolved

Seedless
vascular
plants

Gymnosperms
dominate

Evolution of Plant Biodiversity

Angiosperms
First
gymnosperms

Angiosperms are flowering

plants.

They have true roots, stems, leaves

and flowers...
Angiosperms are more highly
evolved than the algae, mosses,
fungi and ferns. Their advanced
structures allow angiosperms to
thrive on land.

Flowering Plants LargestAngiosperms

group of Land Plants!

Most important economically!

Apomorphies:
1.
2.
3.
4.

Flowers
Carpels
Fruits
Double fertilization with triploid
endosperm
5. Specialized conductive cells
Set of diagnostic features: ovary wall, double fertilization,
distinct leaf venation, distinct pollen wall traits, shared
arrangement of flower parts, highly reduced male and
female gametophytes, and DNA sequences

Rem

Class Angiospermae: Flowering Plants

Flowering plants have traditionally been treated as
the Class Angiospermae
Flowering plants are vascular plants that are
members of the large Division (Phylum)
Tracheophyta
Most textbooks during the past 20 years have treated
flowering plants as Division Magnoliophyta

Growth Forms of Flowering Plants

Trees, shrubs and herbs ranging in size from less
than 1 mm (0.001 m) to more than 125 m in height
Sometimes it is hard to tell what the grow form is,
i.e., tall shrubs, rather woody herbs

Tree: Maple

Shrub: Lilac

Herb: Cress Century Plant

Big and Small

Flowering Plants
flower

aquatic herb: Duckweed, 0.5-2 mm

wide

tree: Eucalyptus, up to 125 m tall (Could

stand up to 300m)

Stamens
and a Style

Flowering duckweed plant

Leaf Variation in Flowering Plants

Introduction
Charcteristics of Angiosperms
1. Flower parts
2. Fruits
3. Pollen (fertilization)
4. Leaves
Why have Angiosperms been so successful?
Reproductive structures of angiosperms are
called flowers
A flower is a highly modified shoot bearing
special appendages (modified leaves) bearing 1

Flowers have up to 3 main parts

Perianth (outer protective and or colourful
structures attracts pollinators)
Androecium (pollen producing structures
-male)
Gynoecium (ovule producing structure
female)

Basic Floral Morphology

Four whorls of flower: calyx, corolla, androecium

(male house), gynoecium (female house)

Basic Floral Morphology

Perianth most flowers have a perianth of 2 discrete whorls or parts: an

outer calyx and an inner corolla. The calyx is usually green and
photosynthetic composed of leaf-like sepals (Calyx usually for protection)
Corolla is colourful, showy, has odour and composed of petals

Collectively
Sepals form the calyx
Petals form the corolla
Both form perianth

Various Perianth Types

Outer tepal is
under inner
tepal

A. Typical showing two distinct whorls, sepals and corolla

or petals.
B. Two whorls in some flowering plants but the inner
and outer whorl of the perianth are not differentiated
from each other and look like each other in colour and
texture. In this case the term tepal is used and the
sepals are the outer tepal and corolla inner tepals
C. Perianth arranged from sepal like structures on

Basic Floral Morphology

Stamens male reproductive organ of a flower. Stalk known as a

filament
Pollen bearing part known as Anther
Some cases the stamen lacks a filament and the anther is attached
directly to the rest of flower called sessile

Contains microsporangia

Basic Floral Morphology

Carpel (pistil) has 3 regions. Pollen-receptive stigma, a

connecting style and the hollow ovary with one or more
ovules. The ovules will develop into seeds after

Flowers with all 4 whorls (calyx, corolla,

androecium (male house), gynoecium
(female house) of these parts are called
Complete
If at least the androecium and gynoecium are
present the flower is termed bisexual or perfect
(most)
If one or more of these whorls are missing the
flower is unisexual or imperfect