Male Reproductive Whorl : Androecium

Distal end
Anther
Terminal
Bilobed
A typical angiospermic anther is bilobed with
Dithecous
each lobe having two theca, i.e., they are
dithecous.
Often a longitudinal groove runs lengthwise
separating the theca.

Proximal end attached to thalamus or

the base of petals
 Pollen grains

Pollen sacs

Line of dehiscence

Filament
T.S. of Anther

Epidermis:
One celled thick, outermost,
protective

Endothecium:
Protective , thick radial walls & inner
walls, helps in dehiscence.
Middle layers:
1-3 celled thick, store food, short lived
Tapetum:
One celled thick, nutritive
Initially cells are diploid & uninucleated later becomes polyploid
& binucleated
FUNCTION:
1. Provide nutrition to microspore mother cells & developing
pollen grains
2. Synthesize and secrete – enzymes, hormones, sporopollenin,
pollen kitt
DEVELOPMENT OF ANTHER
 MICROSPOROGENESIS

 The primary sporogenous cells divide by mitotic divisions to

form sporogenous cells or sporogenous tissue and later
sporogenous cells differentiate into microspore mother cells.
 Each microspore mother cell or cell of sporogenous tissue
divides to form four haploid microspores or pollen grains by
meiotic division or reduction division.
 The process of formation of microspores from pollen mother
cell through meiosis is called microsporogenesis.
 Tetrahedral Isobilateral
e.g.Dicot e.g. Monocot

Sporic meiosis

Decussate
T-shaped

Linear
 Some facts

Corpusculum

Pollinium
Caudicle

Pollen tablets and Syrup

Translator apparatus As food supplements in western countries
of Calotropis
AERO-ALLERGENS
• Pollen grains of many species which are present in the air cause
allergy and bronchial afflictions are called "aero allergens"
• e.g. Chenopodium, Parthenium (carrot grass), Sorghum and
Amaranthus. ["Hay fever" is caused by pollens of Ambrosia.]
• In some people allergic pollens cause chronic respiratory
disorders - asthama, bronchitis etc.
• Parthenium that came into India as a contaminant with
imported wheat has become ubiquitous in occurrence and
cause pollen allergy.
• In cyperaceae family only one functional pollen grain is formed
from a pollen mother cell. e.g. Cyperus.
VIABILITY OF POLLEN GRAINS :
In some cereals such as rice and wheat, pollen grains lose
viability within 30 minutes of their release, and in some
members of rosaceae, leguminoseae and solanaceae, they
maintain viability for months. The period for which pollen
grains remain viable is highly variable and to some extent
depends on the prevailing temperature and humidity.
POLLEN BANKS :
It is possible to store pollen grains of a large number of
species for years in liquid nitrogen (-196°C). Such stored
pollen can be used as pollen banks, similar to seed banks, in
crop breeding programmes.
 STRUCTURE OF POLLEN GRAIN

Vegetative cell
Vegetative nucleus Germpore

Exine

Intine

Generative cell

Generative nucleus

Largest pollen : Mirabilis; Smallest pollen : Myosotis.

 Dehiscence of Anther

Pollen grains

Line of
dehiscence

Filament

The sterile tissues present between both the pollen sacs of each
anther lobe degenerate.
 Development of male gametophyte: Pre-pollination

Pollen grains shed

at 2-celled stage in
over 60% of
Angiosperms

Callase
enzyme

spindle

Tetrad
DEVELOPMENT OF MALE GAMETOPHYTE: Post-pollination

2-celled stage 3-celled stage

Male gametes

Stigma Vegetative nucleus

 FEMALE REPRODUCTIVE WHORL-GYNOECIUM

Stigma Serves as landing platform for pollen grains

Style Long (elongated), narrow tubular structure

Ovary The basal swollen [bulged] part of the carpel.

Ovule
Number variable;
One (In wheat, paddy, mango) or
many ovules (In papaya, water melon, orchids).
Locule
 Female reproductive whorl-Gynoecium

Stigma Carpels

Stigma
Style

Syncarpous
ovary

e.g. Papaver e.g. Michelia, Rose,

Ovary Lotus
Thalamus
e.g. Hibiscus Syncarpous Apocarpous