EKU General Botany Lab

Phylum Magnoliophyta (or Anthophyta)

Flowering Plants

The microsporophylls of a flower are called stamens. The megasporophylls of a flower are called carpels One of more carpels make up the pistil. One or more stamens make up the androecium.

Today's lab focuses on the development of pollen (in the anthers), the development of the ovules (in the pistil), the development of the female and male gametophytes, and the development of the embryo.

Please note that there are two PointPoint supplements this week: one for the pollen, and one for the ovules. In addition, there is a chart to help you analyze flowers.

POLLEN DEVELOPMENT

Here is a list of things you should be able to identify under the microscope and on the PowerPoint slides. You also should know if these strutures are n or 2n.

� flower bud (with perianth, anthers, style/ovary)

� anthers

� microsporangia

� tapetum

� microsporocytes (= microspore mother cells)

� [meiosis happens here]

� microspore tetrads

� two-celled pollen grain (tube cell and generative cell)

� pollen tube

� stigma and style with pollen tubes

What is the exine of a pollen grain? What feature of the exine makes it useful in paleobotany?

How can you tell monocot pollen from dicot pollen (most of the time)?

OVULE DEVELOPMENT

Here is a list of things you should be able to identify under the microscope and on the PowerPoint slides. You also should know if these strutures are n or 2n.

� flower bud

� ovule with funiculus (= stalk that attaches ovule to placenta of ovary)

� megasporangium (only one cell thick!)

� integuments

� micropyle

� megasporocyte (= megaspore mother cell)

� megasporocyte in meiosis

� [meiosis happens here]

� functional megaspore

� 2-nucleate female gametophyte

� 4-nucleate female gametophyte

� 8-nucleate female gametophyte (7 cells)

� double fertilization (find both of the sperm nuclei)

� endosperm (free nuclear and cellular)

� young embryo (with suspensor cells)

� mature seed

seed coat, megasporangium (if still present), endosperm, embryo,

cotyledons

[Note these unnecessary terms !]

megasporangium = nucellus

female gametophyte = embryo sac