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#anthers

2 public questions tagged with this topic.

Dithecous anthers possess

Dithecous anther comprises two distinct lobes thecae joined by connective tissue housing vascular strand, each lobe encloses two microsporangia pollen sacs, totaling four pollen sacs that undergo microsporogenesis meiosis producing haploid pollen grains. Bilobed tetrasporangiate structure is plesiomorphic for most angiosperms. Two pollen sacs define monothecous condition as in Malvaceae, single sac exceptional reduction, absence indicates sterile staminode. Four-sac organization ensures higher pollen output per anther, characteristic of ancestral angiosperm stamen. Internal anatomy in cross section reveals epidermis, fibrous endothecium, middle layers and nutritive tapetum nourishing developing microspore tetrads.

Ref: NCERT Class 12, Anther structure dithecous tetrasporangiate; Bhojwani Embryology, microsporangia

Monothecous anthers are typical of

Monothecous anthers contain single lobe theca with two pollen sacs after postgenital fusion during development, typically reniform kidney-shaped after dehiscence. Liliaceae typically dithecous dorsifixed introrse dehiscence, Solanaceae dithecous versatile, Cruciferae tetradynamous dithecous also four sporangia. Monothecous condition in Malvaceae such as Hibiscus and Althaea arises where each original dithecous anther splits and halves diverge during monadelphous tube formation. Single theca correlates with numerous stamens compensating pollen quantity, mucilage-rich spiny pollen enhancing adhesion to insect pollinators and providing large pollen load per flower for entomophily.

Ref: Campbell Biology, Monothecous vs dithecous anther; NCERT Malvaceae anther morphology