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Seeds: Dispersal

The document discusses the structure and function of plant reproductive organs and the process of seed formation, dispersal, and germination in flowering plants. It describes the male and female parts of flowers and how double fertilization results in the embryo and endosperm. The development of seeds, fruits, and their dispersal mechanisms are also explained.

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23 views33 pages

Seeds: Dispersal

The document discusses the structure and function of plant reproductive organs and the process of seed formation, dispersal, and germination in flowering plants. It describes the male and female parts of flowers and how double fertilization results in the embryo and endosperm. The development of seeds, fruits, and their dispersal mechanisms are also explained.

Uploaded by

youssefsamir991
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Seeds

Dispersal and Germination


Angiosperms (flowering plants):

Plants that protect their seeds within


the body of a fruit.
Structure of a Flower
1. Pistil
2. Stigma
3. Style
4. Ovary
5. Stamen
6. Filament
7. Anther
8. Petal
9. Sepal
10. Receptacle
11. Stem
Non-reproductive floral organs
• Petals – whorl of flower organs that are often
brightly colored to attract pollinators
• Corolla – whorl of petals
in a flower
• Sepals – whorl of leaf-like organs
outside the corolla; help protect the
unopened flower bud.
• Calyx – whorl of sepals in a flower
• Tepals – when sepals and petals
look the same
Reproductive floral organs: male
Stamen: male floral organ, consists of:
• Anther: part of the stamen that produces pollen
• Filament: stalk-like structure that holds anther
• Pollen: immature male gametophyte
Reproductive floral organs: female
Carpel or pistil: female reproductive organs; contains:-
• Stigma: is where pollen sticks
• Style: is the long tube that connects stigma to ovary
• Ovary: enlarged structure at the base of carpel/pistil
where the ovules are located; it will become the fruit.
• Ovules: contains female gametophyte, becomes
the seed

carpel
or
pistil
ovary
Male Reproductive Structure

The stamen consists of


two parts: Anther and
Filament
The anther is where
meiosis occurs to
produce haploid pollen
The filament is a stalk
that supports the
anther
• Pollen Grain • Anther Sac

Pollen grains contain two haploid cells produced through


meiosis.
1- The Tube cell – will grow the pollen tube.
2- The Generative cell – will go through mitosis to create
two sperm cells
Female Reproductive Structure
The pistil consists of
the stigma, style and
ovary
The sticky stigma
receives the pollen
from the anther
The pollen grows a
tube down through
the style
Meiosis occurs in the
ovary to produce
haploid ovules
Ovary
Each ovule within an ovary has a micropyle (an opening
for the pollen tube).
The ovules’ megasporangium undergo meiosis to produce
four haploid cells (3 die leaving 1 megaspore)
The megaspore undergoes mitosis 3 times to produce 8
haploid cells within the embryo sac.
Double Fertilization
After pollen lands on the stigma, a pollen tube
grows down through the style to ovary
Generative cell creates the two sperm nuclei
Double fertilization occurs:
one sperm fertilizes the egg
 one sperm combines with the two polar nuclei
together
Result of Double Fertilization
The sperm nucleus and egg nucleus join to
form a 2n (diploid zygote) embryo

The other sperm nucleus and the two polar


nuclei join to form a 3n (triploid) endosperm.
The endosperm is the food supply for the
embryo
Seed and Fruit Development

After fertilization,
the petals and
sepals fall off
flower
Ovary “ripens”
into a fruit
The ovule
develops into a
seed
Seed Formation
• Embryo sac and ovule grow ~ 500 times bigger
• Triploid endosperm nucleus divides by mitosis
to form endosperm
• The endosperm (3n) is a food rich tissue which
nourishes the developing plant embryo
• The diploid plant embryo is formed by mitosis
and cell division of the diploid zygote
Seed Formation
• Embryo stops growing and becomes dormant
• It loses up to 90% of its water
• The micropyle closes
• Hard protective coat (testa) forms from the
integuments
• A seed has formed
The parts of the seed as they develop from
the parts of the flower are:
Ovary fruit (sometimes composed of more than
one ovary, plus additional tissues)
Ovule seed (sometimes coalesces with the fruit)
Integuments seed coats (two)
Nucellus perisperm (usually absent or reduced but
sometimes develops into storage tissue)
2 polar nuclei endosperm (triploid—3N)
+ 1 sperm nucleus
Egg nucleus Embryo (diploid—2N)
+ 1 sperm nucleus
Seed Formation
• Each fertilised ovule develops into a seed
• A seed consists of
– A dormant plant embryo
– A food reserve
– A protective coat
• Endospermous seeds
– the food reserve is outside the embryo as triploid
endosperm e.g. rice, maize
• Non-endospermous seeds
– the food reserve is within the leaves of the plant
embryo e.g. broad beans, peas
Seed Formation
Endosperm
Food store
for
developing
embryo

Embryo
Plumule,
radicle,
cotyledons
Integuments, becomes the seed coat
Seed Formation
If all the
endosperm is
absorbed by
the
developing
embryo the
seed is a non
endospermic
seed e.g.
broad bean
Seed Formation
If all the
endosperm is
not absorbed
by the
developing
embryo the
seed is an
endospermic
seed e.g.
Maize
Classification of seeds
Classified according to two features:
1. Number of cotyledons (Seed leaves)
 Monocotyledon – one cotyledon
• E.g. Maize
 Dicotyledon - Two cotyledons
• E.g. Broad bean

2. Presence of endosperm
 Present – Endospermic e.g. maize
 Absent – Non-endospermic e.g. broad bean
Seed Structure
• A seeds consists of a plant embryo and a food
reserve contained within a protective coat
(the testa).
• The food reserve may be
a) In the endosperm (as in endospermous seeds)
e.g. Maize, Castor Beans.
a) In the cotyledon (as in non-endospermous
seeds)
e.g. Broad Beans.
Non-endospermous Seed Endospermous Seed
Functions of the Parts of the Seeds
Part of Function
the Seed
Embryo Whole dormant immature plant inside the seed
Radicle Part of the embryo which will become the roots of
the plant after germination
Plumule Part of the embryo which will become the shoots
(stems, leaves etc.) of the plant after germination
Cotyledon This is a “leaf” of the embryo which can
• be a food reserve (in non-endospermous seeds)
or
• absorb nutrients from the endosperm for growth of
the embryo during germination (in endospermous
seeds)
Testa Protective coating of the seed, formed from the
integuments of the ovule.
Fruit formation

• A fruit is a fertilised, ripened, ovary of a


flower which contains the seeds.

• The fruit protects the seed and helps in


dispersal.
Seedless Fruit
• Some are seedless varieties, and this is due to
genetics
– oranges: pollination occurs but fertilisation
doesn’t occur
– bananas: fertilisation occurs but seeds don’t
develop
• Spraying with plant growth regulators
– Auxin can stimulate fruit formation without
fertilisation
Seed Dispersal

• Dispersal is the transfer of a seed away from


the parent plant
• Reasons for dispersal
– Avoids competition with each other and
parents
– Finding new areas to colonise
– Increases chances of survival of larger
numbers of plants
Wind Dispersal

• Tiny light seeds


– e.g. Orchids
• `Parachutes’ for increasing air travel time
– e.g. Dandelion, Thistle
• Fruit with wings
– e.g. Sycamore
Water dispersal
• Air-filled fruits which can float
• Large distances can be covered
• Seeds can travel by river and streams
– e.g. Water lilies
Animal Dispersal
• Animals can travel long distances
• There are 2 types of Fruits
a) Hooked or barbed fruits e.g. Burdock,
goose grass
b) Edible fruits e.g. Tomato, Blackberry,
Fleshy fruits which animals eat, drop
undigested seeds in feces or burrs which
stick to animals

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