In Cyperaceae plants like sedges, only one of the four nuclei formed after meiosis functions during pollen development, while the other three degenerate. The functional nucleus remains in the center and divides to form a vegetative cell and generative cell, while the non-functional nuclei are pushed to the side and may begin to divide abortively before degenerating. As a result, within each pollen tetrad of Cyperaceae, only one pollen grain becomes functional, similar to how one megaspore becomes functional during embryo sac development in these plants.

1. pollen development in cyperaceae
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Chandana M
Asst Prof
Department of Botany

2. Development of Pollen in Cyperaceae
In all members of the Cyperaceae out of the four nuclei formed after meiosis,
only one functions, the others degenerate.
The functional nucleus remains in the centre and the three non-functional
nuclei are pushed to a side.
In Cyphers, Kyllinga, and Scirpus the non-functional nuclei are separated from
the functional nucleus by a wall.
Walls are also laid between the nonfunctional nuclei. The functional nucleus
divides to form a vegetative cell and a generative cell.
The non-functional nuclei may also begin to divide but the divisions are
abortive, and they eventually degenerate.
Thus in a tetrad, only one pollen grain is functional. This feature is similar to
the behavior of megaspores in the development of monosporic embryo sac.
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3. Development of Pollen in Cyperaceae
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4. • The earliest cytological study in this family by Elfving (1879) has es
tablished the characteristic position of Cyperaceae in the cytological
fields in Angiosperms.
• family Cyperaceae, Carex produces a unique pollen type known as a
pseudomonad in which all four microspores of the tetrad are
enclosed within the wall of a single pollen grain.
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5. THANK YOU