Difference between revisions of "Sporophyll"

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A '''sporophyll''' is a [[leaf]] that produces [[spore]]s. Sporophylls are part of the [[diploid]] [[sporophyte]] generation, and the spores are produced by [[meiosis]] and will germinate to produce [[haploid]] [[gametophyte]]s.  The spores are born in [[sporangia]], which can take various forms in different kinds of plants.  The sporophylls themselves also vary greatly in appearance and structure, and may or may not look similar to the [[trophophyll]]s--leaves which only undergo [[photosynthesis]] to produce [[sugar]]s, never producing spores.  In more primitive plants, such as [[lycophyte]]s and [[fern]]s, the sporophylls and trophophylls are both green and photosynthesize, and usually look very similar to each other.  In more advanced plants, such as [[seed plant]]s--and a few unusual primitive plants such as [[Equisetum]]--the sporophylls and trophophylls are very different from each other.  For instance, in [[pine]]s the sporophylls are modified to form both the woody [[bract]]s of pine cones (often called "ovuliferous scales") as well as the smaller, non-woody bracts of the pollen cones.  In flowers the sporophylls are even further modified, and are represented by the [[stamen]]s and [[carpel]]s.
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A [[spore]]-bearing [[leaf]].{{SCH}}
  
Small foliaceous structures bearing the sporangia in brown algae of the genus [[Alaria]] are also called "sporophylls", though structurally they are quite different from the sporophylls of [[vascular plant]]s.
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{{glossary}}
 
 
[[Category:Botany]]
 
[[Category:Plant anatomy]]
 

Latest revision as of 05:21, 17 April 2009

A spore-bearing leaf.CH


This article contains a definition from the Glossary of Gardening Terms.