BOT 104 BIOLOGY AND DIVERSITY OF PTERIDOPHYTES AND GYMNOSPERMS
UNIT I
Evolution of Pteridophytes; Soral and stelar evolution.
Classification of Pteridophytes
UNIT II
Comparative organography, systematic; reproduction and phylogeny of the following:
Psilophytales, Rhyniales, Zosterophyllophytales.
Psilotales.
Lycopdiales, Lepidodendrales
Sphenophyllales
Ophioglossales, Marattiales, Osmundales, Filicales, marsileates, Salviniales.
UNIT III
Speciation and evolutionary trends in ferns;
Cytology;
Polyploidy and hybridization;
Pteridophytic life – cycle, apospory, vegetative apomixes.
Recent trends in the classification of Gymnosperms
UNIT IV
Morphology and anatomy of vegetative and reproductive organs, fossil representatives and interrelationship of Cycadales, Ginkgoales, Coniferales, Taxales, Ephedrales, Welwitschiales and Gnetales.
UNIT V
Structure and evolution of archegonium in Bryophytes, Pteridophytes and Gymnosperms
Distribution of living and fossil Gymnosperm in India.
Economic importance of Gymnosperms.
PRACTICALS 104
1. Study of morphology and anatomy of vegetative and reproductive tissues and organs using cleared whole mounts, dissections, sections, macerations and permanent preparations of living and fossil forms covered under theory.
2. Experiments on spore germination of prothallus, induction of sporophytes.
3. Preparation of models (Plasticine/ thermocol) to demonstrate stellar evolution.
4. Study of Pteridophytes in their natural habitats
5. Comparative study of the anatomy of vegetative and reproductive parts of Ginkgo, Cedrus, Abies, Picea, Cupressus, Cryptomeria, Taxodium, Podocarpus, Cephalotaxus, Araucaria, Agathis, Taxus, Ephedra and Gnetum.
6. Study of the important reproductive stages through specimens and permanent slides.
7. Preparation of models (Plasticine/ thermocol) to demonstrate the position and structure of microsporangia of Cycas, Pinus, Taxus, Ephedra, Gnetum; seed-scale complex in female cone of Pinus, embryo of Pinus.
