This document summarizes the morphology and life cycle of the moss Funaria. It belongs to the division Bryophyta, class Bryopsida, order Funariales and family Funariaceae. Funaria hygrometrica is the most common and widespread species. It grows in moist, shady places. The plant body is a gametophyte that is differentiated into a protonema and upright gametophores. It reproduces sexually through antheridia and archegonia on separate gametophores, and vegetatively through fragmentation. Fertilization occurs when sperm are released from antheridia and travel to archegonia. This results in a sporophyte called a sporogonium that

1. FUNARIA Bryophytes
Prepared by Syeda Fari

2. SYSTEMATIC POSITION
Division: Bryophta
Class: Bryopsida
Order: Funariales
Family: Funariaceae
Genus: Funaria

3. INTRODUCTION
 Common terrestrial
moss
 Have dark green, velvety
patches and grows in
moist shady places
 Funaria hygrometrica is
most common and
worldwide species
 It colonize and grows
best in presence of
calcium, potassium ,
nitrogen, and
phospohorus

4. VEGETATIVE MORPHOLOGY
Plant body is gametophytic
Differentiated into prostrate,
green, filamentous structure
Erect shoot arise from protonema
called as gametophores( juvenile
gametophyte)
Protonema is short lived
Each gametophore consists of
stem and leaves.
Sex organs are present on apices
Rhizoids are present at the base of
gametophore , absorbs nutrients

5. LEAVES
Leaves are small, ovate, sessile
and green
Born on prostrate branches
Leaves on lower branches are
colorless and on upper branches
are green and large in size
These are called as foliage
leaves and arranged in spiral
fashion
Leaves also surround sex
organs, these are larger in size

6. REPRODUCTION
Gametophyte reproduces by
vegetative multiplication and
sexual process
Sporophyte reproduces by
production of spore

7. VEGETATIVE REPRODUCTION
By death of prostrate branches
Development of gammae cups
Protonemal growth. In which
fragments are formed and each
fragment grows into new
protonema, buds and give rise to
gametophores. It is done after
the wounding of sporophyte
Apospory ( buds develop on
protonmea, and it is converted
into diploid gametophore .

8. SEXUAL REPRODUCTION
Funaria is monecious ,
Antheridia and archegonia are present on
the apices of separate erect branches
called gametophores.
These organs are intermingled with the
sterile hairs called paraphyses.
These paraphyses contains chloroplast
and apical cell is globose , meet with
antheridia to cover it.
Paraphyses also hold water by capillary ,
and helps in preventing desiccation .

9. MALE
BRANCH
Antheridia develop in group and present
on the convex shaped apex of leafy
branch gametophore called as male
branch. The antheridia are intermingled
with paraphyses
Structure
It is club shaped born on stalk. The
main body contains a mass of
spermatogenesis cells surrounded by
layer of jacket cells.
The free distal end of the antheridium is
differentiated into cap like structure ,
the operculum . It helps in dehiscence .

10. FEMALE BRANCH
The gametophore bearing archegonia is
called as female branch.it arises from
the base of male branch. The apex of
the branch flattens into a receptacle on
which archegonia develop in clusters in
intermingled with paraphyses.
Structure
A mature archegonium is a flask shaped
which is borne on short stalk.
it has basal swollen part, the venter, and
elongated neck. The venter is
surrounded by a two layered jacket
whereas the around the neck is single
layer.

13. FERTILIZATION AND POST
FERTILIZATION CHANGESDehiscence of antheridium is done by the rain or
dew drops from the apical end of male branch.
The jacket cells imbibe water and split up from
the operculum forming a small pore.
The male gametes move in a mass.
At the same time the neck canal cell and venter
canal cell disintegrate to form mucilage .
It absorbs moisture , swell up and forces the
disintegration of apical cell of neck.
The male sperms are attracted chemotactically ,
and after this fertilization takes place.
The zygote enlarges in size to fill up venter and
secret a thick wall around it.
After fertilization, the venter cells divide and form
protective sheath called calyptra around the
sporogonium

15. SPOROGONIUM
The sporophyte in
funaria is commonly
called as sporogonium
Spores are produced
by meiosis

16. STRUCTURE OF
SPOROGONIUM
It is borne at the end of female
branch
It has following parts
1. Massive foot
2. Long seta
3. Pear shaped capsule

17. FOOT
Foot is embedded in the
apical tissue of female
branch .
It absorbs water and
nutrients from the
gametophyte

18. SETA
The seta is long
and it carries
capsule at the
apex.
it consist of
central conducting
strand composed
of thin walled cells
surrounded by
cortex and
epidermis ,
covered by cuticle

19. CAPSULE
Capsule is pear shaped, and
highly organized spore producing
structure
At younger stage it is green, but
as it matures it turns dark brown
The apical part of capsule is
covered by remains of ruptured
calyptra
The capsule has considerable
tissue differentiation

22. INTERNAL STRUCTURE OF
SPORGONIUM
Foot : it is bulbus mass of tissues
embedded in the apical tissue of
female branch
Seta : it consist of central
conducting strand composed of
thin walled cells surrounded by
cortex and epidermis , covered by
cuticle
Capsule : capsule has three distinct
regions.
1. Apophysis
2. theca
3. Operculum

23. APOPHYSIS
Basal swollen, sterile region
of capsule,
The wall is made up of
epidermis that contains
stomata
Below this, a photosynthetic
spongy layer is present that
has intercellular spaces.
In the center a strand of
thin walled, vertically,
elongated cells are present
that are conducting.

24. THECA
Central part of capsule
Sterile central part called as collumela is
present.
Collumela is surrounded by barrel shaped
spore sac that contain spore mother cells
Outer to these sac, there is a wide air space
called as trabeculae that connects capsule
wall to the wall of spore sac
The wall of theca consist of
1. Epidermis
2. Hypodermis
3. Two celled thick photosynthetic spongy
layer

25. OPERCULUM
The conical, cap like terminal region of capsule
It consist of 3-4 layered thin walled cells covered
with epidermis
Below the operculum is peristome
( ring of tooth like segments) it consist of 16 long
doubled, incurved teeth and 16 thin walled inner
segments .
The peristome is attached to the ring of thin walled
cells that form rim of capsule
The peristome teeth are hygroscopic and respond
to the slight change in moisture
Annulus : the lower 2 layer of cells are thin walled
and constitute annulus .
The degeneration of annulus results in loosening
and dropping off of operculum

26. PERISTOME