Key Terms
Complete
All four whorls present Incomplete: any whorl missing
Perfect (hermaphrodite)
Has both androecium AND gynoecium Staminate: androecium only (male) Carpellate: gynoecium only (female)
Monoecious
Male and female flowers on the SAME plant (corn, pea)
Dioecious
Male and female flowers on DIFFERENT plants (Cannabis, papaya)
Superior ovary
Ovary positioned above other flower parts Inferior ovary: ovary positioned below other flower parts
Location
Megasporangium inside the ovule
Process
1. Pollen lands on stigma 2.
Tapetum
Inner cell layer of microsporangium; provides nutrition to developing microspores and contributes material to the pollen
Male cones
Smaller, located lower on the tree; contain microsporophylls
Female cones
Larger, located higher on the tree; contain megasporophylls
Male gametophyte development (conifers)
Microsporocytes → meiosis → 4 haploid microspores → mitosis → 2 nuclei: generative nucleus + tube nucleus → released as
Female gametophyte development
Megaspore mother cell → meiosis → 4 haploid megaspores → 1 survives → develops into multicellular female gametophyte ins
Gymnosperm fertilization
One sperm fuses with egg → diploid zygote. The other sperm degenerates.
Self-pollination
Pollen from anther to stigma of same flower or same plant Cross-pollination: pollen from one plant to stigma of a differ
Seed components
Seed coat, cotyledon(s), endosperm, embryo