Question

Are pollen grains dehydrated microspores?

Answer 1

Microspores:

1. They are small haploid spores that develop into male gametophytes.
2. They are formed after meiotic division.
3. They are found in both seedless & seed plants.
4. They are formed & arranged in a cluster of 4-cells, known as microspore tetrad.

Pollen Grains:

1. They are differentiated mass of microspores in plants with seeds (angiosperms & gymnosperms).
2. They are formed after mitotic division.
3. When the anthers mature & dehydrate, the microspore tetrad dissociate from each other & develop into pollen grains.
4. Therefore, it can be said that pollens are dehydrated microspores.