The plants are either male or female (dioecious) so that the little palm tree growths carry on the separate plants either the male or the female organs. These called in the male 'antheridia' and the in female 'archegonia' are suspended on the under side of the 'palm like ' 'fronds'. It is amazing
to many that the male antheridia produce motile sperm which swim in the raindrops to fertilise the ova in the female archegonia.
After that process has been achieved tiny capsules grow from the fertilised ova These capsules develop in their interiors tiny spores which eventually may be blown away in the wind to find a new place to grow.
The whole plant carries in every cell nucleus only a half number of chromosomes (haploid). Only the fertilised ovum and the immediate divisions of that ovum have the full double set of chromosomes (diploid).
This photo is of the plant growing in my courtyard, where it can cover a considerable area.
No comments:
Post a Comment