Angiosperm Reproduction: Male and Female Structures

Vocabulary flashcards covering the structure of the anther, microsporogenesis, pollen grain anatomy, and the basic components of the flower's reproductive whorls.

Diploid sporophyte

The predominant plant body in all angiosperms where meiosis takes place to produce haploid spores.

Androecium

The male reproductive whorl of a flower.

Stamen

Individual member of the androecium, consisting of a filament, connective, and anther.

Dithecous

An anther having two lobes (theca).

Tetrasporongiate

An anther containing four pollen sacs, typical of a dithecous anther.

Archesporial cells

Transformed hypodermal cells that differentiate to divide into an inner sporogenous cell and an outer primary parietal cell.

Sporogenous tissue

Tissue formed from sporogenous cells where each cell is capable of giving rise to a microspore tetrad.

Epidermis (Anther)

The outermost protective layer of the anther wall made up of tabular (flattened) cells.

Endothecium

The sub-epidermal layer of the anther wall made up of radially elongated cells with fibrous thickenings.

Middle layers

Layer of the anther wall made of 1-2 layers of thin-walled cells that may disintegrate in a mature anther.

Tapetum

The innermost nutritive layer of the anther wall that immediately encloses the sporogenous tissue.

Microsporogenesis

The process by which each microspore mother cell divides meiotically to form a tetrad of haploid microspores.

Sporoderm

The two-layered wall surrounding a pollen grain, consisting of the exine and intine.

Exine

The thick outer layer of the sporoderm made of a complex, non-biodegradable substance called sporopollenin.

Sporopollenin

A complex, non-biodegradable substance resistant to chemicals that makes up the exine, allowing pollen to be preserved as fossils.

Germ-pores

Thin areas in the exine meant for the growth of the emerging pollen tube during germination.

Intine

The inner wall layer of the pollen grain consisting of cellulose and pectin.

Gynoecium

The female reproductive whorl of a flower, also known as the pistil.

Carpel

Individual member of the gynoecium, also known as a megasporophyll.