Morphology, anatomy and reproduction in Funaria

1. Morphological, anatomical and
reproductive character in Funaria
Sankrita Gaonkar
Assistant Professor in Botany
sankrita002@gmail.com

2. Contents
• Morphological, anatomical and reproductive character in
Funaria
• References

3. Funaria
Classification
• Class: Bryopsida (Musci)
• Order: Funariales
• Family: Funariaceae
• Genus: Funaria

4. Habit and distribution
• 117 species
• 15 spp in India
• Funaria hygrometrica – best known among mosses and found throughout the
world
• Grow luxuriantly in humus rich soil and burnt soil
• Also occur on rocks and damp soil
• Some are epiphytic and grow on tree trunks

5. Gametophyte
Morphology:
• Appear as velvety mats
• Gametophyte – also called as
gametophore (bears sex organs)
• Differentiated into rhizoids, stem and
leaves
• Green, erect and 1-3 cm in height
• Stem is branched – monopodial type
• Rhizoids – at base of gametophyte –
branched, multicellular and thread-
like, contain oil, but when exposed
to light, develop chlorophyll and
help in photosynthesis
• Leaves – small, ovate, bright green,
spirally arranged on stem, midrib
present, upper leaves bigger and
lower ones smaller, sessile, broad
base at point of attachment

6. Anatomy:
• Leaf – distinct midrib and wings
• Midrib – multilayered and thick
• Wings – single layered, cells contain
chloroplast – carbon assimilation
• Stem – a) epidermis, b) cortex and c)
central cylinder
• Epidermis – single layered,
outermost layer, compactly arranged
cells with chloroplasts – assimilatory
function, cuticle and stomata absent
• Cortex – multilayered,
parenchymatous cells, contain
chloroplast in earlier stages but later
disappear
• Central cylinder – thick walled,
compactly arranged cells, acts as
conducting tissue (water conduction)

7. Reproduction:
• Vegetative and sexual
Vegetative reproduction:
• a) by primary protonema – spore germinate – develop into primary
protonema – small buds – develop into new moss, protonema breaks up and
propagate vegetatively
• b) by secondary protonema – protonema develop from other plant parts than
spore. Detached part (leaf, stem, antheridium, rhizoids) – grow into new one
• c) by gemmae – small multicellular at leaf apices or sometimes on rhizoids
• d) by death and decay of prostrate system – decay of rhizoids – erect branch
behaves as independent plant
• e) Apospory – develop wounds on sporophytic tissue from which protonema
arise and develop into new plant – here it is by sporophytic tissue and not by
spores

8. Sexual reproduction
Antheridium
• 2 parts: stalk and main body
• Body surrounded by single layered
jacket – contain chloroplast – turn
red or brown on maturity
• Androcytes inside jacket layer
• At apical end of male branch,
antheridia intermingle with several
sterile paraphyses (hair-like
structures)
• Paraphysis – multicellular, 4-5 cells
arranges in uniseriate row, lower
cells elongated, upper cells globular
– indefinite function – assumed to
hold water for developing antheridia
• Dehiscence – presence of moisture
• Rain water and dew collected in
perichaetial leaves
• Develop apical pore – androcyte
squeezes out

9. Archegonium
• Archegonial stalk longer than
antheridial stalk
• Flask-shaped
• 3 parts: massive stalk, venter and
neck
• Venter – 2 layered jacket – egg and
venter canal cells
• Neck – 1 layered jacket – 6 or more
neck canal cells
• On maturation, venter canal cells
and neck canal cells disintegrate –
form mucilage
• Cover cells separate to form passage

10. Sporophyte
• Foot, seta and capsule
• Foot – small, conical, embedded in gametophyte, poorly developed, absorb
water and nutrients
• Seta – elongated, slender, and thread-like – bear capsule at apical end, cells
elongated, mechanical function
• Capsule – pear-shaped
• 3 parts: apophysis, theca and upper region
a) Apophysis – apical end of elongated seta, assimilatory function, stomata in
epidermis

11. b) theca – central fertile region of capsule, many layers
• Outermost layer – epidermis
• Hypodermis below epidermis
• Chlorenchyma tissue next to hypodermis – contain chloroplast –
photosynthesis
• Air spaces – transversed by trabeculae – 3-4 green cells – act as connection
between chlorenchyma and outer spore sac of capsule
• Central region – pith like cylinder – columella – narrow at base, broad at
apical end – connected to conducting strand of apophysis
• Columella surrounded by spore sac
• Spore sac – barrel-shaped, inner single layer, outer 3-4 layered
• In between outer an dinner spore sac are spore mother cells
• Spore mother cell – develop into spore tetrad of 4 spores

12. c) Upper region:
• Consists of operculum and peristome
• Operculum – 3-4 layers thick, outermost epidermal layer
• Rim is found in circular edge form – stretches inward from epidermis and
connects peristome to epidermis of capsule
• Peristome – lies beneath operculum
• Consists of 2 incurved teeth called inner (colourless) and outer peristome (red)
• Annulus found just above rim – 5-6 epidermal cells
• Dehiscence – dry up on maturation
• Columella and outer thin walled tissues lose water and shrink up
• Spore sac tear off
• Annulus break and operculum thrown off
• Peristome teeth move outward hygroscopically – spores disperse

14. References
• Pandey B.P. (2009). Botany for degree students: B.Sc. First
Year. S. Chand & Company Ltd. New Delhi.