Pollen Grains and Male Gametophytes

These flashcards cover important vocabulary related to pollen grains and their role in sexual reproduction in flowering plants.

Pollen Grain

Represents the male gametophyte in flowering plants.

Sporopollenin

A resistant organic material that makes up the hard outer layer of pollen grain walls.

Exine

The hard outer layer of pollen grain, composed of sporopollenin.

Germ Pores

Apertures in the pollen grain exine where sporopollenin is absent.

Intine

The inner wall of the pollen grain, made up of cellulose and pectin.

Vegetative Cell

The larger cell in the pollen grain that contains abundant food reserves and a large nucleus.

Generative Cell

The smaller cell in the pollen grain that divides to form male gametes.

Allergies

Reactions caused by pollen grains that can lead to respiratory disorders like asthma and bronchitis.

Mitotic Division

The process by which the generative cell divides to produce two male gametes before pollen grains are shed.

Angiosperms

A group of flowering plants where pollen grains can be shed at the 2-celled or 3-celled stage.