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Lab 8 - Late Archaeplastids - Vascular Plants

Learning Objectives:

1. Understand the difference between seedless and seed vascular plants.

2. Basic features of the plant clades ferns (phylum Pteridophyta) , gymnosperms (phyla Cycadophyta,
Gingkophyta, Coniferophyta, Gnetophyta), angiosperms (phylum Anthophyta) in terms of stem, leaf and
flower morphology, and reproductive organs.
3. Identify typical and/or common representatives of each of the above clades, i.e., ferns, cycads, pines and
other gymnosperms, magnoliids, monocots and eudicots
4. Contrast the sexual structures, and leaf morphology between the gymnosperms and angiosperms.
5. Contrast the flower, leaf, fruit, and seed morphology between the magnoliids, monocots and eudicots.
6. The meaning of the terms in boldface in the sections covered.

References:
Solomon, E.P., L.R., Martin, D.W. Martin, and L.R. Berg, 2019. Chapter 27 Seedless Plants, pp.563-57,
Chapter 28 Seed Plants, pp. 584-600. In: Biology, 11th Ed., Cengage (see especially Figures 27-13, 27-16,
2719, 28-2, 28-4, 28-9, 28-10, 28-13, 28-18, Tables 28-1, 28-2.
Read sections in Solomon et al. listed above.
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NAME: ________________________SEMESTER: ___________SECTION: _____

Table 8.1 SUMMARY OF THE BASIC FEATURES OF REPRESENTATIVE NON-FLOWERING VASCULAR PLANTS
COMMON CLADES LINNAEAN GAMETOPHYTE DESCRIPTION DESCRIPTION
NAME (Figs. 1.2, 1.3, PHYLUM DESCRIPTION/ MALE FEMALE GAMETOPHYTE
1.4, 1.5) LOCATION BY GAMETOPHYTE
HOMOSPORY OR
HETEROSPORY

ferns Tracheophites Pterophyta The gametophytes of ferns consist of: N/A N/A
Prothallus: Is a one cell thick green,
photosynthetic structure. It is around 2-
8mm broad and 3-10mm long and usually
heart- or kidney-shaped. The thallus
produces gametes by means of:
 Male sex organs (antheridia):
Produces flagellate sperm. It is small
and spherical in structures.
 Female sex organs (archegonia): It
has a flask-shaped structure and
produces a single egg at the bottom.
The sperm swims down the neck to
reach the egg.
The archegonium and antheridium mature
at different times to increase cross-
fertilization and genetic variation
chances.
Rhizoids: root-like structures that
anchor the prothallus to soil and help
in with absorption.

cycads Tracheophites Cycadophyta They have seed cones on female plants
and pollen cones on male plants
(dioecious). They generate male
microspores and female megaspores. The
microsporocytes produce pollen grains in
male cones (staminate cones) by meiosis.
Male plants produce male cones
in the form of clusters of
microsporophylls, with each
bearing microsporangia
containing microspores (pollen).
Male sporophylls
A single megaspore mother cell
undergoes meiosis in the nucellus
to form a tetrad of haploid
megaspores. Out of these, only
one survives and mitotically
divide many times, forming a
 The pollen are carried by wind or insects
to the female cones. Only one of the
sperm cells finally unite its haploid
nucleus with the haploid nucleus of an
egg cell for fertilization.
Female cones (ovulate cones) contain two
ovules per scale. One megaspore mother
cell (megasporocyte) undergoes meiosis
in each ovule. Out of the four cells, only
one survives and develop into a female
multicellular gametophyte, which
encloses archegonia. The other three
break down.
ginkgo Tracheophytes Ginkgophyta Ginkgo have pollen-producing
structures and ovules produced on
separate trees (dioecious). Their
reproductive structures are restricted
to their spur branches and are visible
in the spring in the axils of bud scales
and foliage leaves. Their seeds are
completely exposed.
conifers Coniferophyta They carry both male and female
Spermatophyte sporophylls on the same mature
s sporophyte (monoecious plants). Are
heterosporous, generating two different
types of spores: male microspores and
female megaspores.
(microsporophylls) are
spatulated organs that bear large
pollen sacs (microsporongia) in
clusters (sori) on their lower
surfaces.
They have a loose, pendulous,
catkinlike structured pollen-
producing strobilus. It has a
main axis where numerous
appendages are attached, each
bearing two microsporangia at
its tip. Meiosis occurs in the
microsporangia cells, resulting
in numerous haploid
microspores. Cell divisions take
place within the microspores,
forming five-celled pollen grains
(male gametophytes).
The microsporocytes give rise to
pollen grains by meiosis in the
male cones (staminate cones).
Large amounts of pollen are
released and carried by wind in
the spring. Pollination initiates
the pollen tube growth. The
pollen tube develops slowly as
the generative cell in the pollen
grain undergoes cell division by
mitosis into two haploid sperm
cells. At fertilization, one of the
sperm cells will finally unite its
haploid nucleus with the haploid
nucleus of an egg cell.
large fleshy female gametophyte.
The female gametophyte grows
at the expense of nucellar tissue
but remains enclosed within its
remains. At its micropylar end,
this gametophyte develops from
one to many archegonia. Each
archegonium has a quartet of
neck cells with a large egg
beneath.
One of the megaspores in the
ovule resulting from meiosis
enlarges and undergoes a
succession of free nuclear
divisions. After producing about
8,000 haploid nuclei, the
formation of cell walls begin.
After the female gametophyte
becomes cellular, archegonia
(normally two) are initiated at the
surface toward the micropylar
end of the ovule. An
archegonium consists of neck
cells and a large egg cell.
Female cones (ovulate cones)
contain two ovules per scale. One
megaspore mother cell
(megasporocyte) undergoes
meiosis in each ovule. Of the
four cells, only one survives and
develop into a female
multicellular gametophyte. The
other three break down. The
female gametophyte encloses
archegonia. On fertilization, the
diploid egg will give rise to the
embryo, that is enclosed in a seed
coat of tissue from the parent
plant.
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NAME: ________________________SEMESTER: ___________SECTION: _____

Table 8.2. SUMMARY OF ANGIOSPERMS (phylum ANTHOPHYTA)
CLADE TYPICAL NUMBER OF ARRANGEMENT LEAF VENATION ARRANGEMENT PETIOLES
(Fig. 1.5) EXAMPLES COTYLEDONS OF VASCULAR (branching or parallel) OF FLOWER (present or absent)
BUNDLES IN STEM PARTS (multiples of:
(scattered or threes or fours and
cylindrical) fives)

monocots Palms, grasses, One Scattered Parallel veins Multiples of threes Absent
orchids, irises, onions,
and lilies.
eudicots Roses, oaks, mustards, Two Cylindrical (Ring) Branching Fours and fives. Present
cacti, sunflower, and
blueberries.

magnoliids Magnolias, nutmeg, bay Two Scattered Branching Multiples of threes Present
laurel, black pepper,
tulip tree, cinnamon,
avocado.