Gymnosperms Lecture

These flashcards cover key vocabulary and concepts related to gymnosperms, as discussed in the lecture.

Gymnosperms

Plants that produce seeds that are fully exposed and borne in cones.

Double Fertilization

Process in plants where one sperm fertilizes the egg and another sperm fertilizes the polar nuclei.

Ovule

The female reproductive structure that develops into a seed after fertilization.

Sporophyte

The diploid multicellular stage in the life cycle of a plant.

Gamete

A reproductive cell (sperm or egg) that forms through meiosis.

Heterosporous

Referring to seed plants that produce two different types of spores: microspores and megaspores.

Cotyledon

An embryonic leaf that provides nutrients to the seedling and may function as a photosynthetic organ later.

Endosperm

Tissue formed from the second fertilization of polar nuclei, which nourishes the developing embryo.

Pollen Tube

A tube that forms after pollen germinates, allowing sperm to travel to the ovule.

Dendrochronology

The study of tree rings to determine the age of a plant and analyze past climate conditions.

Micropyle

A small opening in the ovule through which the pollen tube enters.

Female Gametophyte

The haploid structure that produces the egg in gymnosperms.

Dominant Sporophyte

A characteristic of gymnosperms where the sporophyte stage is larger and more persistent than the gametophyte.