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The Male Gametophyte Enclosed in a Pollen Wall

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Conifer Reproductive Biology

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Summary

All modern conifers follow a basic plan for male reproduction: the male strobilus is composed of fertile cones scales or sporophylls attached to a central cone axis. Each sporophyll has microsporangia or pollen sacs attached to its underside. Each pollen sac contains many pollen mother cells (PMC) and each pollen mother cell undergoes meiosis then gives rise to four microspores after meiosis. Each microspore develops into a multicellular, mobile male gametophyte enclosed inside a pollen wall. Pollen grains are released for aerial transport by dehiscence of the male strobilus. Although most pollen grains do fall near the adult tree, a small fraction will travel hundreds of kilometers from source.

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(2009). The Male Gametophyte Enclosed in a Pollen Wall. In: Conifer Reproductive Biology. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-9602-0_5

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