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 Flowers & Fruits-3

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Syncarpous Gynoecium: The word Syncarpous means Fused Carpels. Obviously, a syncarpous gynoecium must have two or more carpels!!!!! These can be fused at their margins creating one Locule or three closed carpels can be fused creating several Locules.

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Cross Section of an Apocarpous Gynoecium with three Carpels
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Cross Section of a Syncarpous Gynoecium with Three Carpels.

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A Syncarpous Gynoecium of three Carpels.

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Cross Section of a Syncarpous Gynoecium with the Carpels fused at their margins.

The Number of Stigma Lobes often indicates the number of Carpels in a Syncarpous Gynoecium.

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Passion Flower		 YellowPoppy.jpg (42980 bytes)
An ornamental Poppy		 Caricapapaya.jpg (33465 bytes)
Papaya: Look Closely!

The figure below shows longitudinal views of two members of the Solanaceae. These share many traits, and are typical Syncarpous flowers. The Gynoecium is composed of several fused carpels (Syncarpous).

Longitudinal Views of Datura and TomatoDaturaTomatoFlrsMicroMacroLab.jpg (109161 bytes) (Lycopersicum) showing important floral structures. Both are members of the Solanaceae and share some common features. Note the Stigma and Style on the Tomato Gynoecium. Pollen is trapped by the fluid on the Stigma. It germinates and travels through the Style to the Ovules in the Ovary.

The Lily Flower

Lilium is typically used to teach floral morphology and sexual reproduction. Consequently, we will examine it!

Perianth = Tepals = 3 Free Sepals & 3 Free Petals

Androecium = 6 Free Stamens

Gynoecium = 3 Carpels (Syncarpous)

Superior Ovary = Hypogenous

Clintonia (Liliaceae)

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Cross Section of Lily Flower showing the Sepals, Petals, Androecium (Anthers) and Gynoecium (Carpels)		 OvaryX-SLab300.jpg (45274 bytes)
Cross Section of the Lily Gynoecium showing that it is composed of 3 fused Carpels and the presence of Ovules.

Links to Pages on Lily Gametogenesis, Fertilization & Embryo Development Plus, Capsella Embryo Development, are given below. We will not have time to work through them in detail & I will let you know what important things I want you to remember.

Microsporogenesis

Megasporogenesis (Modified)

Fertilization & Embryo Development

Onion (Monocot) Embryo Development

Do it Yourself Life Cycle

Life Cycle Diagram

Cereal (Monocot) Embryos & Fruits

Capsella (Dicot)   Embryo Development

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Syllabus