The word Angiosperm is formed from the Greek words Angeion meaning vessel or darkness and spermos meaning seed. The word Angiosperm means angiosperm. Plants that have flowers, seeds, and seeds enclosed in fruits are called herbaceous plants. Herbaceous plants are flowering plants.
Economic importance of gymnosperms
1. Food: The succulent young stems and seeds of Cycas are used as vegetables. Sago is made from its seeds in Japan. Indum podi flour is made by grinding their seeds. Indum podi flour is used to make cakes and other dishes.
2. Ornamental Plants: Cycas are planted as ornamental plants in gardens, courtyards, roadsides and courtyards.
3. Medicinal use: Young leaves of Cycas are used in stomach ailments and skin diseases.
4. Mat Making: Mats are made from Cycas leaves.
5. Winemaking: The stem pulp of Cycas is used to make wine.
6. Causes disease: t Causes Lytico-boding disease. The symptoms of this disease are similar to those of Parkinson’s disease.
7. Traditional Uses: In many places cycads are important in religious and social customs.
Role of megasporophyll in the life of Cycas
1. Ovulation: The megasporophylls of Cycas are united to form a crown. The upper part of megasporophyll is called pinnule. At its base are 2-4 pairs of large and red ovules. The megasporophyll with the ovule looks like a snake’s hood. It is called Sarpamani. Inside the ovum are the female cells. Spore mother cells divide by meiosis to produce megaspore. Archegonia are formed from the female sperm. Ovules develop inside the archegonium.
2. Fertilization: Anthers are formed from the cymes of Cycas. Fertilization of sperm and egg occurs inside the anther. Fertilization results in the formation of a zygote.
3. Seed Formation: Embryo is formed from zygote. The embryo divides and becomes a seed. Cycas seeds are juicy, orange or red in color.
4. New Plant Formation: Cycas seeds germinate and produce new plants.
Cycas-Fertilization
The spores of Cycas are airborne and fall on the ovules of the female plant. Anthers or pollen tubes are formed from the protozoa. Sperm are produced inside the anther. Sperm and egg unite to form zygote. Zygote develops into seed. The seeds are juicy, orange or red in color. The seed germinates and produces a new plant.
Cycas-Megasporophyll
The megasporophylls of Cycas are leaf-like, hairy and brown in colour. Together they form the crown. The upper part of megasporophyll is called pinnule. At its base are 2-4 pairs of large and red ovules. The megasporophyll with the ovule looks like a snake’s hood. It is called Sarpamani (sold as Sarpamani in the market). Inside the ovum are the female cells. Spore mother cells divide by meiosis to produce spores or megaspores. Archegonia are formed from the female sperm. Ovules develop inside the archegonium. Archegonium is the original characteristic of Cycus.
Cycas-Microsporophyll
Cycas plants have spike-shaped strobilus at the apex (50 cm). Stamen strobilus is surrounded by numerous sporangia or microsporophylls. Microsporophylls are 3-5 cm long and 12-23 mm wide. The microsporophylls are spirally and densely arranged. It is flat, thick and scaly. Its base is narrow and its tip is wide. Anteriorly there is a triangular apophysis. Each microsporophyll contains numerous sporangia. 2-5 sporangia together form a sorus. Inside the sporangium is the spore mother cell. Each spore mother cell divides by the process of meiosis to produce spores or microspores. Microspores produce sperm. Spermatozoa of Cycas are Latim-like, multi-flagellated and the largest in the plant kingdom.
Cycas-Sexual reproduction
Cycas are dioecious and unisexual plants. Their male plants produce spores or microspores and female plants produce spores or megaspores. Microspores are located in microsporophylls and megaspores are located in megasporophylls. The microsporophylls together form the strobilus or staminate or cone. Megasporophylls form a crown without forming a strobilus.
(i) Microsporophyll: Cycas plants have spike-shaped strobilus at the apex (50 cm). Stamen strobilus is surrounded by numerous sporangia or microsporophylls. Microsporophylls are 3-5 cm long and 12-23 mm wide. The microsporophylls are spirally and densely arranged. It is flat, thick and scaly. Its base is narrow and its tip is wide. Anteriorly there is a triangular apophysis. Each microsporophyll contains numerous sporangia. 2-5 sporangia together form a sorus. Inside the sporangium is the spore mother cell. Each spore mother cell divides by the process of meiosis to produce spores or microspores. Microspores produce sperm. Spermatozoa of Cycas are Latim-like, multi-flagellated and the largest in the plant kingdom.
(ii) Megasporophyll: The megasporophylls of Cycas are leaf-like, hairy and brown in colour. Together they form the crown. The upper part of megasporophyll is called pinnule. At its base are 2-4 pairs of large and red ovules. The megasporophyll with the ovule looks like a snake’s hood. It is called Sarpamani (sold as Sarpamani in the market). Inside the ovum are the female cells. Spore mother cells divide by meiosis to produce spores or megaspores. Archegonia are formed from the female sperm. Ovules develop inside the archegonium. Archegonium is the original characteristic of Cycus.
(iii) Fertilization: The spores of Cycas are airborne and fall on the ovules of the female plant. Anthers or pollen tubes are formed from the protozoa. Sperm are produced inside the anther. Sperm and egg unite to form zygote. Zygote develops into seed. The seeds are juicy, orange or red in color. The seed germinates and produces a new plant.
The ovules are arranged on both sides at the base of megasporophyll of Cycus. The megasporophyll with the ovule looks like a snake’s hood. It is called Sarpamani. In various places, snake gems are sold as medicine for all diseases. Actually it has no medicinal properties. As a result common people are being cheated or deprived.
Cycas-Organ reproduction
A type of bud is produced from the base of the stem of Cycas. Cutting the bud and transplanting it into a full grown Cycas tree. Besides, bulbils are formed from the axis of the leaf. Bulbils produce new seedlings.
Reproduction of Cycas
1. Organ reproduction: A type of bud is produced from the base of the stem of Cycas. Cutting the bud and transplanting it into a full grown Cycas tree. Besides, bulbils are formed from the axis of the leaf. Bulbils produce new seedlings.
2. Sexual reproduction: Cycas are dioecious and unisexual plants. Their male plants produce spores or microspores and female plants produce spores or megaspores. Microspores are located in microsporophylls and megaspores are located in megasporophylls. The microsporophylls together form the strobilus or staminate or cone. Megasporophylls form a crown without forming a strobilus.
(i) Microsporophyll: Cycas plants have spike-shaped strobilus at the apex (50 cm). Stamen strobilus is surrounded by numerous sporangia or microsporophylls. Microsporophylls are 3-5 cm long and 12-23 mm wide. The microsporophylls are spirally and densely arranged. It is flat, thick and scaly. Its base is narrow and its tip is wide. Anteriorly there is a triangular apophysis. Each microsporophyll contains numerous sporangia. 2-5 sporangia together form a sorus. Inside the sporangium is the spore mother cell. Each spore mother cell divides by the process of meiosis to produce spores or microspores. Microspores produce sperm. Spermatozoa of Cycas are Latim-like, multi-flagellated and the largest in the plant kingdom.
(ii) Megasporophyll: The megasporophylls of Cycas are leaf-like, hairy and brown in colour. Together they form the crown. The upper part of megasporophyll is called pinnule. At its base are 2-4 pairs of large and red ovules. The megasporophyll with the ovule looks like a snake’s hood. It is called Sarpamani (sold as Sarpamani in the market). Inside the ovum are the female cells. Spore mother cells divide by meiosis to produce spores or megaspores. Archegonia are formed from the female sperm. Ovules develop inside the archegonium. Archegonium is the original characteristic of Cycus.
(iii) Fertilization: The spores of Cycas are airborne and fall on the ovules of the female plant. Anthers or pollen tubes are formed from the protozoa. Sperm are produced inside the anther. Sperm and egg unite to form zygote. Zygote develops into seed. The seeds are juicy, orange or red in color. The seed germinates and produces a new plant.
The ovules are arranged on both sides at the base of megasporophyll of Cycus. The megasporophyll with the ovule looks like a snake’s hood. It is called Sarpamani. In various places, snake gems are sold as medicine for all diseases. Actually it has no medicinal properties. As a result common people are being cheated or deprived.
Similarity of fern and Cycas
1. The main plant is the sporophyte.
2. The body can be divided into roots, stems and leaves.
3. Leaves are large, green, pinnately compound.
4. Young leaves have sarcinate vernation or whorls.
5. Their spermatozoa are multi-flagellated and motile.
6. They are heterosporous or uninucleate.
7. Heteromorphic or unequally shaped genera are seen.