Bio Lab 3 Practical Lab 5

Question: What is the dominant phase of the “Gymnosperm” life cycle?
Answer: The sporophyte (diploid) phase.

Question: What structure in gymnosperms functions as a megasporangium?
Answer: The ovule within the female cone.

Question: What does each megasporangium produce, and what does it develop into?
Answer: It produces a megaspore that develops into a female gametophyte with archegonia that produce eggs.

Question: What structure in gymnosperms contains microsporangia?
Answer: The male cone.

Question: What does each microsporangium produce, and what does it form?
Answer: It produces microspores that form pollen grains (male gametophytes).

Question: What do male gametophytes produce?
Answer: Sperm cells inside an antheridium.

Question: What three generations are present within a seed?
Answer: 1) Mother sporophyte (diploid), 2) Daughter gametophyte (haploid), 3) New offspring sporophyte (diploid).

🌱 General Gymnosperm Synapomorphies

Question: What is the main reproductive innovation of Spermatopsida?
Answer: Possession of seeds.

Question: What does it mean that the gametophyte uses the mother sporophyte’s resources?
Answer: The gametophyte depends on the sporophyte for nutrition and protection.

Question: What integument trait do gymnosperms possess?
Answer: Ovules with a single integument.

Question: Why are gymnosperms called “naked seed” plants?
Answer: Their seeds are exposed, not enclosed in fruit.

Question: What kind of sperm cells do advanced gymnosperms have?
Answer: Nonmotile sperm cells.

🌴 Division Cycadophyta (Cycads)

Question: What is the defining synapomorphy of cycads?
Answer: Possess a simple aerial trunk lacking lateral branching.

Question: What type of leaves do cycads have?
Answer: Pinnately compound leaves.

Question: What type of sperm do cycads have?
Answer: Flagellated, motile sperm.

Question: What type of cones do cycads produce?
Answer: Male and female cones (strobili).

Question: How are cycads commonly pollinated?
Answer: By insects (unusual for gymnosperms).

🍂 Division Ginkgophyta (Ginkgos)

Question: What is the only extant species of Ginkgophyta?
Answer: Ginkgo biloba.

Question: What are two synapomorphies of Ginkgophyta leaves?
Answer: Bi-lobed leaves and dichotomous leaf venation.

Question: What type of sperm do ginkgos have?
Answer: Motile sperm.

Question: What covers ginkgo seeds?
Answer: A fleshy seed coat (not a true fruit).

Question: What is the general leaf shape of Ginkgo biloba?
Answer: Simple, fan-shaped leaves.

🌾 Division Gnetophyta (Gnetophytes)

Question: What are the three genera of Gnetophyta?
Answer: Ephedra, Gnetum, Welwitschia.

Question: What type of pollen do Gnetophytes possess?
Answer: Striate pollen.

Question: What kind of xylem cells are unique to Gnetophytes?
Answer: Vessel elements with porose perforation plates.

Question: Do Gnetophytes have motile or nonmotile sperm?
Answer: Nonmotile sperm.

🌿 Ephedra

Question: What is the habitat of Ephedra?
Answer: Arid desert environments.

Question: What are the leaves of Ephedra like?
Answer: Small, scale-like leaves.

Question: What compound is derived from Ephedra?
Answer: Ephedrine (a stimulant).

🌿 Gnetum

Question: What kind of leaves does Gnetum have?
Answer: Broad, flat leaves resembling angiosperms.

Question: What habitat does Gnetum inhabit?
Answer: Tropical forests.

🌿 Welwitschia

Question: What is the habitat of Welwitschia?
Answer: The Namib Desert.

Question: What is unique about Welwitschia’s leaves?
Answer: It has only two strap-like leaves that grow continuously throughout its life.

Question: Describe the growth form of Welwitschia.
Answer: Short woody stem and deep taproot.

🌲 Division Coniferophyta (Conifers)

Question: What is a key defining feature of conifers?
Answer: They produce cones with exposed seeds.

Question: What type of leaves do conifers have?
Answer: Simple, highly-lignified leaves (needles or scales).

Question: What kind of sperm do conifers have?
Answer: Nonmotile sperm.

Question: What do male and female cones produce?
Answer: Male cones produce pollen; female cones produce ovules/seeds.

Question: What kind of environments are conifers adapted to?
Answer: Cold, dry, or high-altitude habitats.

🌲 Family Pinaceae (Pines, Spruce, Hemlock)

Question: What type of leaves do Pinaceae members have?
Answer: Needle-like leaves in clusters.

Question: Name examples of genera in Pinaceae.
Answer: Pinus, Picea, Tsuga.

Question: Describe Pinaceae cones.
Answer: Woody female cones with spirally arranged scales.

🌲 Family Cupressaceae (Cypress and Cedars)

Question: What are two genera in Cupressaceae?
Answer: Juniperus and Thuja.

Question: What kind of leaves do Cupressaceae have?
Answer: Scale-like or awl-shaped leaves.

Question: What is unique about Cupressaceae cones?
Answer: Often fleshy or berry-like (e.g., juniper berries).

🌲 Family Taxaceae (Yews)

Question: What genus represents Taxaceae?
Answer: Taxus.

Question: What unique seed structure does Taxaceae have?
Answer: Seed partially enclosed in a red fleshy aril.

Question: What toxic compound is found in yews?
Answer: Taxine alkaloids (source of chemotherapy drug Taxol).

🌲 Family Araucariaceae

Question: What is an example genus in Araucariaceae?
Answer: Araucaria.

Question: Where are Araucariaceae commonly found?
Answer: Southern Hemisphere (e.g., Norfolk Island pine, monkey puzzle tree).

Question: What kind of leaves do Araucariaceae have?
Answer: Large, overlapping, scale-like leaves.

🌳 Coniferophyta – Dichotomous Key

Question: Conifer with needle-like leaves in clusters →
Answer: Family Pinaceae.

Question: Conifer with fleshy, berry-like cones →
Answer: Family Cupressaceae.

Question: Conifer with single seed in a fleshy aril →
Answer: Family Taxaceae.

Question: Conifer with broad, flat leaves →
Answer: Family Araucariaceae.

🌐 Higher-Level Taxonomy

Question: What is the domain of gymnosperms?
Answer: Eukarya.

Question: What kingdom do gymnosperms belong to?
Answer: Viridiplantae (Green Plants).

Question: What clade includes land plants?
Answer: Embryophyta.

Question: What clade includes vascular plants?
Answer: Tracheophyta.

Question: What class includes all seed plants?
Answer: Spermatopsida.

🧬 Cladogram Synapomorphies Summary

Question: What is the synapomorphy of Spermatopsida?
Answer: Possess seeds.

Question: What defines Gymnosperms?
Answer: Naked seeds with a single integument.

Question: What defines Cycadophyta?
Answer: Simple aerial trunk with no lateral branching.

Question: What defines Ginkgophyta?
Answer: Bi-lobed leaves with dichotomous venation.

Question: What defines Gnetophyta?
Answer: Striate pollen and vessel elements with porose plates.

Question: What defines Coniferophyta?
Answer: Nonmotile sperm and simple, highly lignified leaves.