PSILOTUM
[Link] [Link]
PSILOTUM
Salient Features of Psilotum:
i. The sporophytes are dichotomously branched with an
underground rhizome and upright branches.
ii. The upright branches are leafless.
iii. Rhizoids present instead of roots.
iv. Stem have a relatively simple vascular cylinder.
v. The sporangia are borne in groups (trilocular) and form synangia
vi. Spores produced are all alike (homosporous).
vii. The development of gametophyte is exosporic and form
monoecious subterranian gametophyte.
viii. The development of embryo is exoscopic.
PSILOTUM
Division : Psilophyta
Class : Psilotopsida
Order : Psilotales
Family : Psilotaceae
Genus : Psilotum
SPOROPHYTE:
1. Sporophytic branched rhizome system.
2. Dichotomously branched, slender, upright, green aerial system
3. Bears small appendanges and synangium
AERIAL STEM
* Rhizome tips - turn upward - undergo several dichotomies - GREEN AERIAL
SHOOT
* Aerial shoots - slender, erect (PENDENT - [Link] -
epiphyte)[Link]
* Perennial, shrubby - due to dichotomy
* Height - upto 1m
* Aerial axis - cylindrical @ base, forrowed @ top, flattened with 3 triangular
ridges at the top.
* basal part - smooth, distal part bears small scaly appendanges & Synangia
* they are photosynthetic. Appear as xerophytic although grow in moist places
PSILOTUM
1. EPIDERMIS:
● Single layered, heavily cutinised
● Broken by stomata
2. CORTEX:
● Divided into three regions
● OUTER: Chlorechymatous, elongated, lobed
chlorophyllous cells with intercellular spaces
● 2 - 5 layered thick
● Consists of chloroplastids & starch grains
● MIDDLE: sclerenchymatous, 4 - 5 layered without
intercellular spaces.
● Walls of these cells - lignified - lower portion of stem
● Provides mechanical support
● INNER: Parenchymatous cells (broader zone)
● Cell walls - becomes thinner - centre
● No intercellular spaces but contain STARCH GRAINS
PSILOTUM
3. ENDODERMIS:
● Cortical tissue - bounded by single layered Endodermis
- vertically elongated cells - CONSPICUOUS
CASPARIAN BANDS
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● Centre of stem - flattened cylinder of primary xylem
with protoxylem elements at the tip of the each ridge.
● May have 10 ridges - from transition region from
rhizome - aerial stem
● Single layered parenchymatous pericycle - below
epidermis
● Phloem is internal to pericycle & located between
ridges of the xylem.
PSILOTUM
● Extreme base - stem is protostelic(actinostelic)
● Middle portion - stele is siphonostelic as centre of xylem is
occupied by a patch of elongated sclerenchymatous
cells(SCLEROTIC PITH)
PSILOTUM
PROTOSTELE
● Central core of xylem sorrounded by band of
Phloem & pericyle
● Single or multilayered
● Distinguishes stele than cortex
● Covered externally by endodermis
ACTINOSTELE:
● Xylem - star shaped with many radiating
arms
● Phloem - small patches in between the xylem
radiating arms instead of continuous rings
HAPLOSTELE
● Central solid core of xylem - sorrounded by
ring of phloem
● Found in fossil as well in living pteridophyte
PSILOTUM
SIPHONOSTELE
● Phloem ring outside the xylem
PSILOTUM
● The basal subterranean branched rhizome- hidden beneath the soil or humus.
● It bears numerous rhizoids, instead of roots - functions of absorption and ancho- rage.
PSILOTUM
T . S OF RHIZOME
● outermost epidermis, cortex, endodermis, pericycle
and stele
● The epidermis is indistinct and gives rise to 2-celled
rhizoid
● The cortex - extensive, parenchymatous and
differentiated into outer, middle and inner layers.
● Outer cortex: presence of Intracellular endophytic
mycorrhiza
● Middle cortex: Large with starch grains
● Inner cortex: often dark, brown in colour (presence of
Phlobaphene)
● Stele is protostelic (haplostele or actinostele)
● Sorrounded by endodermal layer with conspicuous
casparian bands on the radial walls.
PSILOTUM
Appendages:
1. small scale-like structures helically arranged on the upper
part of the aerial system.
2. Internal - composed of parenchymatous photosynthetic cells.
3. Bounded by a single-layered cutinised epidermis.
4. There is no stomata in the appendages.
5. There is no vascular trace in the appendages of P. nudum
REPRODUCTION IN PSILOTUM
The Psilotum reproduces vegetatively as well as by spores
i. Vegetative Reproduction:
● The sporophyte as well as gametophyte of Psilotum (e.g.,
P. nudum) propagate vegetatively through the
production of Gemmae
● They are small, multicellular and ovoid structures
developing on surface of rhizome (in sporophytic plant
body) or prothallus (in the gametophyte).
● After detachment from the parent body, gemmae of
sporophyte may germinate to form a subterranean shoot,
while the gemmae of prothallus, on germination, form a
new prothallus.
REPRODUCTION IN PSILOTUM
ii. Reproduction by Spores:
● Spore-Producing Structure:
● dichotomously branched aerial
shoots become fertile - trilocular
sporangia known as synangia
● The mature synangium is generally
a three-lobed structure.
● Each lobe of the synangium
corresponds to a sporangium.
● The synangia located at the tip of
very short axis, measuring 1-2 mm
in diameter
● At maturity, the synangium
exhibits dehiscence.
REPRODUCTION IN PSILOTUM
Development of sporangium - EUSPORANGIATE TYPE
[Link]
Sporangium - develops - SUPERFICIAL INITIAL CELLS
Periclinal division
Primary wall initials Primary sporogenous cells
PD AD
Sporangial wall(4-5) Sporogenous tissue
Spore mother cells
Spores - HOMOSPOROUS
Bilaterally symmetrical Meiosis
Colourless Spores
Kidney shaped
GAMETOPHYTE [Link]
❖ In T.S - cutinised peripheral cells - encloses
many-layered thin-walled parenchymatous cells
❖ Internal parenchyma cells - filled with - Hyphi of
symbiotic fungus.
❖ Psilotum is the only plant in the plant kingdom
where the vascular tissues develop in the
gametophytic generation.
SEX ORGANS:
➔ The gametophytes of Psilotum are
❖ mature gametophyte - similarity - sporophytic
monoecious (i.e., homothallic).
rhizome ➔ Sex organs i.e., antheridia and
❖ It grows as saprophyte with an associated fungus. archegania - SUPERFICIAL
❖ Spores - Germinate exosporically - GAMETOPHYTE ➔ Scattered over the surface of
❖ Mature gametophyte - brown, cylindrical, gametophyte.
subterranean, dichotomously branched ➔ Antheridia are more in number than
❖ Surface - Long unicellular, brownish rhizoids archegonia
❖ Gametophyte - grows - means - APICAL MERISTEM
ANTHERIDIUM
SUPERFICIAL CELLS(Antheridicial initials)
Outer Jacket Initial
Inner Primary Androgonial cell
Outer Jacket Initial - AD
Single layered Jacket cells
Inner Primary Androgonial cell
Mass of Androgonial cells - ANDROCYTES
Antheridium projects above - surface of
prothallus
Each androcyte - Spirally coiled,
multiflagellate antherozoid
Escapes by the disintegration of Opercular
cells
ARCHEGONIUM
SUPERFICIAL CELLS(Archegonial initial)
Outer Primary cover cell
Inner Central cell
Outer Primary cover cell - PD
FERTILIZATION Neck - 4 vertical rows of cells (4 - 6 cells each
row)
➔ Maturity - cell wall - lower tier neck cells - Central cell - transverse division
Upper primary neck canal cell
thick wall & cutinized
Lower primary venter cell
➔ Apical tier - breaks (presence of water)
➔ Mucilagenous contents - neck cells - Nucleus of primary neck canal cell - 2 neck
released canal nuclei
➔ Free passage - entry of Antherozoids
➔ Fertilization - union of multiflagellate Primary venter cell - TD - produce
sperm & egg - DIPLOID ZYGOTE Large egg & small ventral canal cell
EMBRYO (NEW SPOROPHYTE)
★ Diploid zygote - Mother cell - ★ This type of embryogeny where the shoot
SPOROPHYTIC GENERATION forming apical cell is directed outward
(towards the neck of the archegonium) is
★ 1st division - TD - OUTER EPIBASAL CELL
called exoscopic mode of embryo develop
(neck of archegonium) - SPOROPHYTIC
ment.
BRANCH SYSTEM (aerial & underground)
★ The foot anchors the young sporophyte
★ INNER HYPOBASAL CELL (base of securely to the gametophyte and absorbs
archegonium) - FOOT nutrients until the sporophyte becomes
pysiologically independent.
LIFE CYCLE OF PSILOTUM
