1. SEXUAL REPRODUCTION IN FLOWERING PLANTS
Sexual reproduction in flowering plants is characterized by the production of male and female gametes within structures such as pollen grains and ovules, leading to fertilization and seed development. This process involves unique phenomena like double fertilization, where one sperm fertilizes the egg while another fuses with polar nuclei, forming the endosperm. Key stages include microsporogenesis, megasporogenesis, and subsequent embryo development, underscoring the intricate relationship between structure and function in floral reproduction.
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What we have learnt
- Flowers are the reproductive structures in angiosperms containing male (androecium) and female (gynoecium) reproductive parts.
- Pollination mechanisms can be abiotic (wind, water) or biotic (insects, animals), facilitating the transfer of pollen to stigma.
- Unique to angiosperms, double fertilization leads to the formation of both a zygote and triploid endosperm.
Key Concepts
- -- Double Fertilization
- A unique process in flowering plants where one sperm fertilizes the egg to form a zygote, while another sperm fuses with two polar nuclei to form the triploid endosperm.
- -- Microsporogenesis
- The process of formation of microspores from microspore mother cells through meiosis, resulting in pollen grains.
- -- Apomixis
- A form of asexual reproduction in flowering plants where seeds are produced without fertilization, allowing for the development of seeds without a genetic contribution from male gametes.
- -- Pollination
- The transfer of pollen grains from the anther to the stigma, which is essential for fertilization to occur.
- -- Endosperm
- A tissue produced within the seeds of flowering plants that provides nutrition to the developing embryo.
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