Question

What is a female gametophyte in gymnosperms?

Answer 1

Gymnosperms:

1. Gymnosperm is derived from Gk. gymnos= naked and sperma= seed, i.e. (the plants with naked seeds).
2. Gymnosperms are heterosporous, i.e., produce two different kinds of spores- the male microspores and the female megaspores. The spores are borne inside the sporangia.
3. The two types of sporangia are borne on the special leaf-like structure, called sporophylls. The microsporangia (pollen sac) are borne by microsporophyll (=stamens), and the megasporangia (ovules) are borne on megasporophylls (=carpels).

Female gametophyte:

1. The ovules are orthotropous and remain exposed to the megasporophylls. Each ovule is surrounded by integuments.
2. It encloses the nucellus and a female gametophyte formed from the haploid megaspores. the female gametophyte contains archegonia.