Reproduction in Plants

Gametogenesis in plants has two stages.

1. Sporophyte generation - produces diploid spores by meiosis

2. Gametophyte generation - Produces haploid gametes by mitosis

1. Each anther contains four pollen sacs that contain many diploid microspore mother cells.

2. The microspore mother cells divide by meiosis to form haploid microspores which start the gametophyte generation.

3. Microspores form the pollen grain gametes by mitosis

4. The tube nucleus produces pollen tubes during pollination. The generative nucleus fuses with the nucleus of the ovule during fertilisation.

1. The ovule is attached to the wall of the ovary by the placenta.

2. Diploid megaspore mother cells divide by meiosis to make 4 haploid megaspores.

3. Three of the haploid megaspores degenerate, one continues to develop.

4. The remaining megaspore undergoes three mitotic divisions.

5. The result of this is an embryo sac containing an egg cell, two polar nuclei and five other smaller cells.