FLOWERS !
Brief History of Tracheophytes ~450 MYA 1st Tracheophytes 300 MYA 500 species-club mosses, horsetails, ferns, gymnosperms 150 MYA 3,000 species mostly gymnosperms 90 MYA 22,500 species—mostly angiosperms Today 300,000 species—mostly angiosperms
Land Plants Review Moist Dry environments 1) Swimming sperm (club moss, horsetails, ferns) 2) Airborne pollen + swimming sperm (few gymnosperms) 3)Airborne pollen (gymnosperms & angiosperms) 4) Animal borne pollen (angiosperms)
5 STAGES OF TRACHEOPHYTE EVOLUTION
5 STAGES OF TRACHEOPHYTE EVOLUTION
5 STAGES OF TRACHEOPHYTE EVOLUTION
5 STAGES OF TRACHEOPHYTE EVOLUTION
5 STAGES OF TRACHEOPHYTE EVOLUTION
Advances of Tracheophytes over Bryophytes xylem and phloem lignin = wood thick waxy cuticle stomates profuse branching increased young tissues for photosynthesis increased areas for sporangia (as opposed to only one sporangium per sporophyte in the Bryophytes) highly differentiated plant tissues and organs
What do you conclude from these data? Why have angiosperms been so successful compared to gymnosperms? What do you conclude from these data?
What do these data indicate? Gymnosperms live longer than angiosperms. Angiosperms live longer than gymnosperms. Pine trees will mature sooner than maples. Apple trees will mature sooner than spruce. None of the above 1 Early maturity for angiosperms
Why have angiosperms been so successful? Adaptations to dry land Rapid reproduction cycle & Early maturity Flowers with Well protected and well-nourished seeds Efficient seed dispersal mechanisms Efficient pollination Recall the evolution of sperm transfer Animals especially Insects Water Air (wind)
But first animals on land were arthropods. First insect fossils ~ 470 mya at the same time as the first tracheophytes colonized land. First flying insects ~325 mya. Major diversification of insects (bees, flies, butterflies & moths) ~150 mya occurred along with the radiation of flowering plants
But first animals on land were arthropods. First insect fossils ~ 470 mya at the same time as the first tracheophytes colonized land. First flying insects ~325 mya. Major diversification of insects (bees, flies, butterflies & moths) ~150 mya occurred along with the radiation of flowering plants
Phylum Angiosperms ( Flowering Plants) Two major classes Monocotylendonae Eudicotyledonae
To which group does this plant belong? A) Monocot B) Eudicot 1
Types of Flowers Complete Flowers (Perfect Flowers)= flowers with all of the usual male and female parts
Types of Flowers Complete Flowers (Perfect Flowers)= flowers with all of the usual male and female parts
Which number identifies the part of the flower that produces pollen? 3 4 2 5 1 9 6 7 8 1
What is the name of the structure that produces the pollen? 1) Stigma 2) Style 3) Receptacle 4) Corolla 5) None of the above 3 4 2 5 1 9 6 7 8 1
Which number identifies the part of the flower that is the ovary? 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6) 7) 8) 9) 3 4 2 5 1 9 6 7 8 1
Where does fertilization occur? 3 4 2 5 1 9 6 7 8 1
Double Fertilization Triploid Endosperm (3n)
Fruit Formation
SEEDS Eu
Types of Flowers Cont’. Incomplete Flowers (Imperfect Flowers) = Flowers with one or more basic parts missing e.g. Pistillate flowers have only female pistil e.g. Staminate flowers have only male stamen
Corn with incomplete flowers
Flower Symmetry Radial Symmetry (Circular & disk-like) Line through the center in any direction forms identical halves. (Attracts general pollinators)
Tallest Flower Has Radial symmetry “Corpse Flower” Amorphophallus titanum
Largest Blossom Rafflesia arnoldii
Flower Symmetry Bilateral Symmetry Line through the center in one direction can produce mirror images. (These flowers attract specific pollinators)
Composite Flowers. = Flowers grouped together into Composite Flowers = Flowers grouped together into clusters to produce a showy display
Head of a sunflower
Pollination Wind Pollination –earliest pollination Characteristics of wind pollinated flowers Unisexual flowers—encourages outbreeding Monoecious= corn, oak, melons Dioecious= willows, poplars, maples, spinach, asparagus
Wind pollination in angiosperms (grasses) Characteristics of wind pollinated flowers: Small inconspicuous Without petals No scent or nectar Large quantity of pollen produced
Animal Pollination Many types of animals involved: 85% of flowers pollinated by insects (bees, butterflies, beetles, flies, ants); they get pollen and nectar. Birds and a few small mammals especially bats Less pollen needs to be produced than in wind pollination Flowers are bisexual—increases efficiency
Generalist vs. Specialist Strategies Generalist Flowers—attract many pollinators Specialist—attracts only one pollinator Disadvantage –flower and pollinator are dependent upon one another Benefit for plant—prevents waste of pollen & nectar for inefficient pollination Benefit for pollinator—monopoly of food source
The Co-Evolution of Flowers and their Pollinators
Attracting Pollinators Color & UV & electric patterns Nectar guides—lines of color that “guide” the pollinator to the nectaries (glands that produce the sugar water) Fragrance—scent glands Sex
Bee Flowers Flowers open during day Bees visit many species Some flowers are specialized only for bees
Buzz Pollination Some bee species grab tubular anthers & vibrate flight muscles and shake the pollen out of pore at the end.
Nectar Guides
Ultraviolet Light Patterns Dandelion
Ultraviolet Light Patterns Silverweed
Sex Flower that mimics female bees by color and scent to attract male bees. Bee orchid
Bird Flowers (e.g. hummingbird) Color red or orange Produce lots of nectar Flowers large and shaped as tubes or funnels, cups or flasks. Lack odor
Bat Flowers Nocturnal flowers Pale color Strong scent Bats with long Nose and tongue. Some hover, some don’t
Fly Flowers Flies are second most common pollinators Smell is primary attractant Color yellow, green, white, can be mottled and look & smell like rotting meat
Butterfly Flowers Diurnal Bright colors Smell modest Petals fused into long tubes for proboscis
Moth Flowers Flowers are nocturnal Pale color Strong sweet smell Petals fused into long tubes for long proboscis
The case of the hawk moth and the iris
Hawkmoths & the S. African Iris Hawkmoths are important pollinators! S. African Iris produces nectar inside a flower tube as a reward for pollinators. The ‘flower tube’ can vary in length. How does the Hawkmoth pollinate?... Open Source Photo Credit: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Kaibara87_-_Hummingbird_Hawk-moth_(by).jpg
How do hawkmoths pollinate S. African iris? Hawkmoths stick their long tongues inside the flower tube to collect the nectar. When their tongue is inside, the the pollen from the stigma sticks to the head of the hawkmoth. When they visit a new flower, they transfer the pollen from previous plant visits. Tongue length! Open Source Photo Credit: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hummingbird_Hawk-moth.jpg Flower tube length!
Distribution of flower tube length
Distribution of moth tongue lengths
What is true about this flower? A) Bee pollinated B) Composite flower C) Endosperm is 2n D) Radial symmetry E) Meiosis occurs in stigma 1
What is true about this flower? A) Bee pollinated B) Composite flower C) Endosperm is 2n D) Radial symmetry E) Meiosis occurs in stigma
Other Pollinators: Mouse