Exercise 10 Part 1:

THE ANGIOSPERMS
(FLOWERS)
Angiosperms
• Flowering Plants
• Heterospory
• Life cycle: Modified Alternation of
generations
• microspores = pollen grain = male
gametophyte
• megaspores = ovule = female gametophyte
• Production of spores takes place in the
flowers.
 Parts of a flower
● Petals - Modified leaves. Often showy,
but occasionally reduced or even
absent.
○ Corolla - collection of petals
Petals
● Sepals - Encloses the flower buds.
Mainly protective, in most flowers, are
small and green. In some, may be large
PERIANT
and showy. H
○ Calyx - collection of sepals
● The sepals and petals together are
called PERIANTH (meaning surrounding Sepals

the anthers”)
 Parts of a flower
• Stamens - Pollen-producing structures. usually
free, but sometimes are fused, and sometimes
inserted to petals. ANTHER
• Androecium - collection of stamens FILAMENTS

• It consists of two parts:

A. Anther - Pollen-producing sacs at the

tip of the stamens. When ripe, often
appears yellow.
B. Filament - The slender structure
supporting the anther away from the
flower base.
Parts of a Flower

• Pistil - Central structure in the flower.

• Gynoecium - collection of pistils

Three parts of Pistil:

A. Ovary - The base of the pistil, where Stigma
ovules develop
B. Stigma - The tip, upon which pollen
grains are deposited.
C. Style - The slender connection
between the ovary and the stigma

Peduncle
Monocot vs Dicot Flowers
Regular vs Irregular flowers

ROSACEOUS CRUCIFORM

CARYOPHYLLACEO PAPILIONACEO
US US
Variation based on sexes

Monoecious - Plants with both sexes are represented

Dioecious - Plants with imperfect flowers and the sexes on
separate plants
➢Cross fertilization must occur
Heterostyly - Flowers with long and short styles
 Heterostyly
Unique form of polymorphism and herkogamy in flowers.
Herkogamy - spatial separation of anthers and stigmas within
flowers

Primula farinosa
 Apomixis
- Away from mingling
- lack of fertilization
- often found in transient habitats

Citrus decumana
 Variations in flower structure
A. Complete vs Incomplete
a. Complete flower - Corolla, Calyx, Gynoecium, and
androecium are all present
b. Incomplete flower - If any of the main flower parts
are missing. (e.g. Some flowers lack petals, some
are dioecious)
B. Perfect vs Imperfect Flowers
a. Perfect flower - Flowers with both sexes
b. Imperfect flowers - Flowers that lack either stamen
or pistil
1. Staminate - Flowers with only stamen
2. Pistillate - Flowers with only pistils
Type of Inflorescence
➢ Raceme - The main axis has short branches,
each terminates in a flower. Each flower is on a
short branch stem called PEDICEL.
➢ Spike - Flowers are found in each of the axil of
the bract (without a pedicel).

➢ Umbel - Pedicels arise from about the same point

to form a rounded umbrella-like form.
➢ Cyme - The apex of the main axis produces a
flower that involves the entire apical meristem
Types of Inflorescence

➢ Head/Capitulum - flowers are sessile and

crowded together on a very short axis.

➢ Catkin - a spike that usually bears

only pistillate or staminate flower.
➢ Panicle - a branched raceme
Let’s try!

Caesalpinia pulcherrima Peperomia pellucida Allium cepa

Helianthus annuus
Typha angustifolia L. Oryza sativa

Ixora philippinensis
Life Cycle of Angiosperms
A. Microsporogenesis
• microsporangium contains
microsporocyte (2n)
1. Microsporocyte = 4 haploid
microspore (pollen grain)
2. Pollen grain - male gametophyte
A.vegetative cell - pollen tube
B.generative cell - divides to
form two sperms
 Life Cycle of Angiosperms
A. Megasporogenesis
• megasporangium contains
megasporocyte (2n)
1. Megasporocyte = 4 haploid
megaspore
A.¾ - degenerate
B.¼ - undergoes mitosis (3x) = 8
haploid nuclei female
gametophyte (embryo sac)
 Life Cycle of Angiosperms
A. Megasporogenesis
• Embryo sac
1. 3 antipodal cells - end away of
micropyle
2. 2 polar bodies - center
3. 1 egg - near the micropyle end
4. 2 synergids - on each side of the egg
 Life Cycle of Angiosperms

C. Double Fertilization
● Pollen tube - discharges its two
sperm nuclei.
○ sperm + egg = diploid zygote.
○ sperm + 2 polar bodies = polyploidy
endosperm.
● Endosperm - provides nutrition for
the embryo
● Ovule 🡆 seed (potential new plant)
 Tabulate the following:

Scientific name Monocot/Dicot Complete / Regular / Perfect / Type of

Incomplete Irregular Imperfect Inflorescence