SEED VASCULAR PLANTS:

the
ANGIOSPERMS
(flowering plants)

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 INTRODUCTION
• Anthophyta/Magnoliophyta - commonly called
the angiosperms or flowering plants
• Angiosperms are flowering plants
• The most successful and largest group of plants
(About 235,00 species, representing at least 90%
of all true plants )
• Flowers are the main reproductive organs
• Seeds are enclosed in fruit
• In many species, the fruit helps with dispersal of
the seeds by attracting animals to consume them
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 Classes of Angiosperms
• Two classes: Eudicotyledones (dicots)
and Monocotyledones (monocots)

Dicots Monocots
may be woody or
herbaceous
herbaceous
flower parts in multiples of
flower parts in multiples of three
four or five
net-veined leaves parallel-veined leaves
bundles of vascular tissue are
vascular tissue in the stem
scattered throughout the
forms rings
stem
two cotyledons (seed
one cotyledon
leaves)
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 Leaves
Either…
• simple or compound
• alternate with each other
going up the stem
• or arranged opposite
each other on the stem
• or as whorled leaves
where more than two
originate from the same
place on the stem

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 Fruit
• is a mature ovary (in which seeds
develop/are found)
• serves as protection and means of
dispersal for the seeds
Various types of fruits include:
• Simple fruits arise from one ovary in
one flower. Examples include cucumber,
tomato, orange, cherry, apple.
• Aggregate fruits arise from several
ovaries in one flower. Examples include
raspberry and strawberry.
• Multiple fruits arise from ovaries in
several, tightly-clustered flowers which
grow together into one “fruit.” Examples
include pineapple, mulberry, and
breadfruit.

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 Flower

• Flower parts are modified leaves. They

develop within a bud.
• Monocots have flower parts in multiple of
threes; dicot parts are in multiples of four
or five

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• Multiple flowers can be arranged or clustered
in various ways, including raceme, panicle,
spike and etc..

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 Corymb

Cyme

Spadix Umbel Spike

inflorescence 11
Structure of a flower

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Stamens
• Stamens are composed of an anther and a filament
• The anther contains microsporangia. Microspores
and microgametophytes are produced within the
anther
Pistil
• All of the female reproductive structures form the
pistil. This includes the stigma, style, and ovary.
• Each chamber within a pistil is called a carpel.
• A simple pistil is also called a carpel because it has
only one chamber.
• A compound pistil contains several carpels that have
become fused as a result of evolutionary change.
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Ovary
• The bottom portion of a pistil is the ovary. It
contains ovules. As the reproductive process
proceeds, the ovary enlarges and becomes the
fruit and the ovules become seeds.
Ovules
• Ovules are structures that will become seeds.
They contain outer protective coverings called
integuments and a megasporangium within the
integuments. Within the megasporangium,
megaspores are produced by meiosis. The
megaspores produce megagametophytes,
which, in turn, produce eggs.

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 Life Cycle

• The life cycle of

flowering plants is
similar to that of
gymnosperms
• It involves
alternation of
generations. A
diploid
sporophyte
alternates with a
haploid
gametophyte.
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 Development of Ovules
• A sporangium is a structure
that produces spores
• Two protective layers called
integuments surround the
megasporangium of flowering
plants (angiosperms)
• The entire structure including
the integuments is the ovule
and is destined to become the
seed
• The integuments will become
the seed coat ovule
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• The cell (2n) within the
megasporangium will
divide by meiosis to
produce four
megaspores
• Only one of the
megaspores functional
(becomes embryo sac),
other three degenerate

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• The remaining megaspore nucleus mitotically divides 3 times
to produce a cell with 8 haploid nuclei
• At this point, the embryo sac may be regarded as the
megagametophyte (female)
• 2 of 8 nuclei will migrates to the centre of embryo sac (called
‘two polar nuclei’), and fuse to form a diploid nucleus (2n)
• The other 6 nuclei will form an egg cell (ovum @ female
gamete), 2 synergids and 3 antipodal cells.

3 antipodal cells

2 synergids
2 polar nuclei

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micropyle
 Development of
Pollen Grains
• An anther has 4
microsporangia (pollen
sacs). Each contains
many cells that undergo
meiosis to produce 4
microspores each
• The microspore produces
a microgametophyte
called pollen

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• Pollen contains two
nuclei/cells, a generative cell
and a tube cell
• After landing on the stigma of
a flower (pollination):
Pollen
– The tube cell elongates to
produce a pollen tube,
which grows from the
stigma through the style
and through the micropyle
to the egg
– The generative cell will
produce two sperm 21
Germinated pollen
 SEXUAL Reproduction
• Pollination = transfer of pollen (carrying male
gametophyte) from the anther to the stigma
• Fertilization (syngamy) = union of sperm and egg
• Fertilization in angiosperm called double
fertilization
• 2 sperm involved
– 1 fertilizes the egg
– 1 fuses with 2 cells in female gametophyte to
form endosperm

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Fertilization:
• When a pollen lands on a stigma, it
germinate and a pollen tube grows
• The pollen tube grows from tube cell
rapidly (several hours – few days)
• During tube growth, the generative cell
divides by mitosis to produce two nuclei.
These are the male gametes (sperms)
• As the pollen tube enters the embryo sac,
– The tube disintegrates, releasing the 2
sperms 23
• Both sperms are functional:
– 1 sperm fuses with egg  forms a zygote (2n)
– The other sperm (n) unites with two polar nuclei,
2n (also called diploid nucleus)  forming a
triploid endorsperm (3n)

• This fusion is called double fertilization

• After fertilization, the seed and fruit develops

• Ref :
http://bcs.whfreeman.com/thelifewire/content/
chp39/3902001.html 24
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 Seeds
• cotyledons absorb nutrients from the 3n
endosperm
• epicotyl will become the stem and leaves
• hypocotyl becomes the root system

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 Asexual Reproduction
Stems
• New plants can grow from horizontal stems
• Aboveground horizontal stems are called stolons
• Underground horizontal stems are called rhizomes
• White potatoes are underground stems. They eyes are buds and can be used to produce new
plants.
Roots
• Sweet potatoes are modified roots and can be used to produce new plants.
• The roots of some trees produce suckers (small plants) that can produce a new tree.
Cutting
• Cut stems can be treated with hormones to encourage root growth.
• Stems can be grafted to plants that have roots.
• Axillary buds can be grafted to another plant to produce new branches from the grafted bud.
Tissue Culture
• Plant tissue is grown on culture medium and treated with hormones to stimulate the cells to
grow into plants.
• Many plants can be produced from a few cells.
Genetic Engineering
• Genetic engineering is concerned with modifying the DNA of organisms. Plants have been
produced that are resistant to freezing, infections, insect pests, herbicides, and spoilage.

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