Gymnosperm

 The gymnosperms (gymnos- naked. sperma – seed) are plant in which the seeds are not
enclosed with in fruit wall i.e. they bear naked seeds.these are seeded plants without fruit,
kept under  spermatophyta (seed bearing plant).
 Study of gymnosperm known as gymnospermology.
 Embryo and seed formation takes place, but no fruit formation occur.
General character
 They have medium sized trees or tall tree and shrubs. The Sequoia (red wood tree) is
one of the tallest tree species.
 In it, male and female gametophyte are not free living independent.
 The  main plant body is diploid sporophytic, differentiated into root,stem and leaves.
 The root are generally tap root, developed by radical and form root system along with its
branches.
 Roots in some genera have fungal association in the form of mycorrhiza (eg. Pinus) while
in some other small specialised root present called coralloid root, associated with nitrogen
fixing cyanobacteria. (eg. Cycas). coralloid root lack root hair and root cap.
 The stem or unbranched (eg.Cycas) or branched. eg. Pinus or Cedrus.

Leaves
 The leaves may be simple or compound. 
 In Cycas the pinnate leaves persist for a few year.
 In simple leaf, their  is a single lamina which is usually intire.
 In compound leaf incision of lamina reaches up to midrib or petiole due to which lamina is
divided into several small part known as leaflets.
 The leaves in gymnosperm are well adapted to extreme condition –
- In conifers the needle like leaves reduce the surface area, their thick cuticle and
sunken stomata also help to reduce water loss.
- Leaves of Ginkgo biloba are fan shaped.
 They have well developed vascular tissue. (xylem and phloem) xylem lack vessels and
phloem lack companion cell.
Exception - vessels are present in Gnetum, Ephedra and Welwitschia.
 Secondary growth present in gymnosperm  stem.
 Most of the gymnosperm are arborescent  (Woody and tree habit) but some are as shrubs.(
eg.Ephedra) and some are liana or woody climber. eg. Gnetum ula.
 They are very limited in distribution, mainly found in cold regions.
 In india they are found on Himalayan mountains, usually occur on slopes of mountain in cold
region therefore they are xerophytic.

Life cycle of Gymnosperm

 All gymnosperm are heterosporeus plant. they produce two kinds of haploid spores,
microspores and megaspores with in microsporangium and megasporangium respectively.
sporangia born on sporophylls which are arranged spirally along on axis to form lax (loose)
or compact strobili or cone.
 The strobili (singular strobilus) dear microsporophyll and microsporangia called
microsporangiate cones or male stroili or male cone.
 Microsporangium have many microspore mother cell which by meiosis form many haploid
microspore. germination of microspore are endosporic germination (i.e.germination start in
sporangium). the microspores develope into a male gametophytic  generation which is
highly reduced and is confined to only limited number of cell. This reduced male
gametophyte is called as pollen grain.
 The development of pollen grain takes place with in the microsporangia.
 The cones / strobili bearing cluster group of megasporophylls with megasporangia are called
megasporangiate cones or female cones.
 When male and female cones develop on same plant known as monoecious. (eg. Pinus)
and when develop on separate plant known as dioecious. (eg. Cycles).
 Megasporophyll bear integumented megasporangia ovules.
 The oval or integumated megasporangia consists of body called nucleus protected by
envelope or integument.
 Any one cell of the nucleus (2x) act as megaspore mother cell and by meiosis form 4
haploid megaspore. out of  which three toward micropyle degenrate and only one
remain functional.
 The functional megaspore show endosporic germination (i.e.germinate in
megasporangium) and form a female gametophyte also called endosperm(x).
 Female gametophyte (endosperm) produce two or more archegonia or female sex organ
in one ovules. the multicellular female gametophyte retained with in megasporangium
(ovule).
 The Pollen grain are released from the microsporangium and are carried in air currents
(wind pollination –Anemophily) and come in contact with the opening (micropyle) of ovule on
megasporophylls.
 Each pollen grain produces pollen tube carrying two male gametes which grows towards
archegonia in the ovule and release (discharge) its content (two male gamete) near the
mouth of archegonia.
 One male gametes fuses with female gamete and another male gamete degenerates.
the fertilization result in formation of zygote and then embryo. embryo formed with in the
oval, now fertilised ovule having embryo is called seed.
 Seed are not covered with ovary wall or fruit wall so they are called naked seeds.
 In gymnosperm seeds are formed but ovary or fruit are not formed, so they are called as
naked seeded plant.
 Seed containing embryo (2x) form new diploid sporophytic plant on germination.          

Other Important  point

 Two type of fertilization.
 Zoodio siphonogamy- male gamete are motile transfer through Pollen tube to female
gamete (eg. lower gymnosperm).
 Siphonogamy - male gamete non motile transfer through Pollen tube to female gamete (eg.
higher gymnosperm)
 Endosperm formed before fertilization by megaspore thus it is haploid.
Classification
 Classified into 2 group
I- Cycadophyta II- Coniferophyta
 Cycadophyta (Lower gymnosperm).
 Plant are megaphyllous  / macrophyllous with circinate vernation.(arrangement of young
leaf before open.)
 Presence of ramenta and motile male gamete.
Divided into three order
A. Cyadofillicales  or pteridospermae  (seed fern)
 They are completely extinct eg. Lyginopteris - Fossil plant
B.   Benettitales - They are also completely extinct group (eg. Williamsonia - Fossil
plant).
C.  Cycadales - They are living i.e. living fossil.
eg Zamia pygmea (smallest gymnosperm).
 Cycas- Sago Pam - sargo obtained from stem
 Cycas ovule 7 cm in diameter.
 It's ovule,male gamete (top shaped),egg, male cone are largest in plant Kingdom.
 Cycas embryo have to cotyledons.
 Female cone absent in cycas
 Ginkgo
Coniferophyta –( higher gymnosperm)  divided into 4 order
A. Ginkgoales - examples- Ginkgo biloba , oldest living Fossil and connective link between
cycades and conifers. - Maiden hair tree (living fossil)
 They are higher gymnosperm but male gamete motile.
B.Cordaitales - completely extinct group. example cordaites.
C. Coniferales. example Pinus( pines) - turpentine is obtained from it and used in varnish.
it's pollen grain known as “Shower of sulphur” because conifer forest floor become yellow
due to pollen grain.
 Pinus gerardiana - Chilgoza Pine
 Pinus roxburghii     - Chirpine
 Cedrus - known as Deodar
 Taxus - known as yew tree. anticancer medicine is obtained from it bark.
 Taxodium maxicanus - Thickest stem in the plant Kingdom.
 Abies balsamea - Resin “canada balsam” obtained from it, used in making permanent slides
in Biology lab.
 Juniperus virginiana – “Cedar wood oil” obtained from it, used in microscope to
increase the resolving power and used as a remover of nail polish.
 Araucaria excels - Christmas tree.
 Araucaria araucana - monkey puzzle tree - ornamental plant.
 Sequoia species - known as father of forest because plant are so heavy.
 Sequoia giganteam - Red wood tree or sherman tree. largest gymnosperm only one
tree of the species that is in California America.
 Metasequoia  - living Fossil. - present in China valley
D. Genitals - They are most advanced gymnosperm.
 This group have vessels in xylem and archegonia is absent.
Eg. Gnetum,Welwitschia.
Exception - archegonia present in Ephedra.
 Ephedrine- obtained from ephedra, used in asthma.

Other important point

  Life cycle is diplomatic, gametophyte is very reduced and depend on the sporophyte.
  Smallest gymnosperm – Zamia.
 Largest gymnosperms Sequoia.
  seed have three generation.
 -  Parental sporophyte – testa, tegmen and perisperm.
          -  Female gametophyte – endosperm.
          -  Future sporophyte – plumule, radical, suspensor and cotyledon (embryo). 
 Largest ovule - cycas revolute.
 Largest male cone - Cycas circinalis
 Largest male gamete (sperm) - cycas.
 Largest female gamete (egg) - cycas
 Pollination in gymnosperm by a pollination droplet that oozes from micropyle of the oval.
Droplets are sticky catches pollen grain, after pollination dropletes dries.
 Polyembryony - formation of more than one embryo.
- simple polyembryony - due to fertilization of many egg. example pinus ovule has 2 to 8
archegonia.
- Cleavage polyembryony – is true polyembryony,due to splitting of embryo tissues.
- Adventive polyembryony - due to formation of extra embryo directly from diploid cell
other than embryonal cell.
 Independent, free-living gametophyte absent in gymnosperm and angiosperm.
Economic important
 Edible seed - seed of Pinus gerardiana (chilgoza Pine).
 Timber - They have soft wood. used in preparation for furniture.
 Paper - Gymnosperm wood used in manufacture of paper.
 Fire boards - Pinus needle used in making of fibre boards used in packing.
 Taxol - anticancer drug obtained from the bark of Taxus.