LABORATORY ACTIVITY #1

PLANT MALE AND FEMALE GAMETOPHYTE

Objectives
At the end of this activity, the students are expected to be able to:
1. Identify the basic structures of a complete flower.
2. Differentiate male and female gametophytes of a complete flower.
3. Understand the structures and functions of male and female gametophytes in plants.

Materials
▪ Mature flowers of Hibiscus rosa-sinensis ▪ Compound light microscope
▪ Sharp scalpel or blade ▪ Glass slides with cover slips
▪ Long bond paper ▪ Dropper
▪ Adhesive tape ▪ Petri Dish

Procedure
A. Morphology of an Angiosperm Flower
1. Prior to this class, your Developmental Biology Laboratory Instructor asked you to bring mature gumamela flowers, an example of
an angiosperm plant. Examine the floral structure of the mentioned angiosperm plant. Identify the pedicel, receptacle, sepals, petals,
stamen, and carpel.
2. Locate for the sepals of the mature gumamela. Sepals are either leaf-like or composed of petal-like tissue. Once located, carefully
pluck the mentioned structure from the receptacle and paste it on a long bond paper using adhesive tape. Label the structure. Look
also for episepals of the mature gumamela, in which they are sometimes present. Episepals provide support to the developing flower.
If present, paste the episepals also on the same long bond paper and label it.
3. The ovary is revealed once the episepals and sepals are separated or peeled from the gumamela flower. Mount the ovary and ovules
(if possible) on the same long bond paper using adhesive tape. Label the structure.
4. Carefully remove the petals of the mature gumamela. Petals are responsible for attracting pollinators and supporting the plant's
reproductive organs. Attach the petals on the same long bond paper using adhesive tape. Label the structure.
5. Using a blade or scalpel, remove the stamen from the stigma by slicing the base of each filament. Mount the stamen on the same
long bond paper using adhesive tape. Label the structure.
6. After completely removing the stamen, make a shallow incision below the stigma to the base of the sigma. Carefully peel the stigma
and separate the mentioned structure from the flower. Avoid incurring any damage to the style while in the process. Mount the stigma
and style on the same long bond paper using adhesive tape. Label the structure.
7. Paste also the remaining floral structure on the same long bond paper using adhesive tape. Label the structure.

B. Anatomy of Stigma, Anther, and Style

1. Using a new gumamela flower, obtain the ovary structure with the help of a blade or scalpel. Prepare a thin cross-section of the
ovary, fix the specimen, and observe the specimen using the LPO and HPO of a compound light microscope. Identify and label the
structures.
2. Using a blade or scalpel, obtain the stamen structure from the gumamela flower used in the B.1 methodology. Extract the anther
from the stamen. Observe the gumamela anther using LPO and HPO of a compound light microscope. Identify and label the
structures.
3. Extract the stigma, style, and stamen from a gumamela flower using a blade or scalpel. Mount these three structures separately on
individual glass slides. Observe these structures using LPO and HPO of a compound light microscope. Once observed, add water
to the specimen and cover the specimen using coverslips. Observe these structures using LPO and HPO of a compound light
microscope. Note the difference between dry mount and wet mount.

C. Lily Anther, Lily Ovary, and Pollen Grains

1. Acquire the prepared slides of a lily anther (x-s) from your Developmental Biology Laboratory Instructor. Observe the prepared slide
using the LPO of a compound light microscope. Identify the pollen grain, stomium, connective tissue, tapetum, endothecium,
epidermis, vascular bundles, and middle layer.
2. Acquire the prepared slides of a Lily Ovary (x-s) from your Developmental Biology Laboratory Instructor. Observe the prepared slide
using the LPO of a compound light microscope. Identify the placenta and locule of the lily ovary (x-s). Shift the objectives to HPO.
Identify the chalaza, inner and outer integuments, megasporocyte, funiculus, nucellus, and ovule.

Questions

1. What is a complete flower? What are the structural parts of a complete flower? Provide the function of each part. What are the
similarities and differences in the floral organ structure of angiosperm plants?
2. Describe the structures observed in a gumamela anther under a compound light microscope. Describe the structures observed in a
gumamela ovary under a compound light microscope.
3. Compare and contrast the anatomy of stigma, style, and anther in angiosperms. Differentiate between dry and wet mount
observations of the stigma, style, and stamen.
4. What are the structures observed in the lily anther (x-s)? Provide the function of each part. Identify the two lily anther structures
significant in the development of pollen grains. Discuss each structure.
5. Compare and contrast the structures observed in lily anther and gumamela anther.
6. What are the structures observed in the lily ovary (x-s)? Provide the function of each part. How do the structures observed in the lily
ovary contribute to plant fertilization and seed formation?
7. Compare and contrast the structures observed in the lily ovary and gumamela ovary.