6.1.1: Lycopodium
- Page ID
- 35334
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)Gametophyte Morphology
In seedless vascular plants, the sporophyte is the longer-lived, larger, leafy generation. This trend of sporophyte dominance throughout the evolutionary timeline of plants leads to continually smaller, less complex gametophytes. Gametophytes of this group are seldom seen. They are small and thalloid.
In Lycopodium, the gametophyte grows from a homospore and is bisexual, producing both antheridia and archegonia.
![A pale, flat gametophyte thallus has an emerging sporophyte](https://bio.libretexts.org/@api/deki/files/45519/1024px-Lycopodium_gametophyte_with_sporophyte_preserved.jpg?revision=1&size=bestfit&width=472&height=693)
Sporophyte Morphology
Sporophytes branch dichotomously and have true roots and leaves due to the presence of lignified vascular tissue. The leaves, called microphylls, have a single, unbranched vein of vascular tissue. Note: The term microphyll, confusingly, is not an indication of the size of the leaf.
Figure \(\PageIndex{2}\): A Lycopodium sporophyte grows across a bed of feather mosses on the forest floor. Many branches stick upright and may develop strobili. Photo by Maria Morrow, CC-BY 4.0.
![A closer image of Lycopodium, showing microphylls and dichotomous branching](https://bio.libretexts.org/@api/deki/files/26838/Lycopodium_1.jpg?revision=2&size=bestfit&width=440&height=536)
![A cross section through a microphyll](https://bio.libretexts.org/@api/deki/files/29955/InkedLycopodium_leaf_microphyll_LI.jpg?revision=1&size=bestfit&width=687&height=517)
![A cross section through a root. The xylem is labeled 'A' and the phloem is labeled 'B'](https://bio.libretexts.org/@api/deki/files/29956/InkedLycopodium_root_xs_LI.jpg?revision=1&size=bestfit&width=626&height=472)
Asexual propogation can occur via an underground stem called a rhizome. Homospores are produced in a structure called a strobilus that is produced at the end of a branch. A single plant can have many strobili.
![A long section of a Lycopodium strobilus.](https://bio.libretexts.org/@api/deki/files/45520/Mature_strobilus.jpg?revision=1)
![A close up of the sporangia with spores of equal, small size](https://bio.libretexts.org/@api/deki/files/29957/InkedLycopodium_strobilus_LI.jpg?revision=1&size=bestfit&width=525&height=697)