BOT 201 Gymnosperm Taxonomic Summary I. Cycadophyta A.

Cycadaceae Dioecious trees or perennial herbs Trunks or subterranean stems Leaves large, coriaceous, evergreen, pinnate; (vernation involute circinate) Pollen cones large determinate Ovulate reproductive structures not organized as cones; consist of numerous toothed to divided megasporophylls arising from apex of trunk 1/more marginal seeds from megasporophylls B. Zamiaceae Dioecious trees or perennial herbs Trunks or subterranean stems Leaves pinnate (rarely bipinnate) Pollen and seed cones determinate Seed cones w/ peltate megasporophylls 2/3 adaxially marginal ovules/seeds from megasporophylls II. Ginkgophyta A. Ginkgoaceae Dioecious trees Stout short shoots Leaves simple, spiral, flabelliform (fan-shaped); w/ open dichotomous venation Male reproductive structure catkin-like; consist of an axis bearing microsporophylls w/ paired, pendant microsporangia Ovulate reproductive structure axis bearing generally 2 erect ovules each w/ a basal collar Seed outer fleshy, inner hard integument layer III. Coniferae (Pinophyta) A. Pinopsida 1. Pinaceae Trees Leaves simple, linear to acicular, spiral Pollen cones small 2 abaxial microsporangia per microsporophyll Seed cones woody, ovuliferous scales Ovuliferous scales each w/ 2 adaxial, inverted ovules/seeds Seeds winged Embryos w/ multiple cotyledons B. Cupressopsida 1. Araucariaceae Dioecious/monoecious trees Leaves broad-acicular Pollen cones large

C.

5-20 inverted microsporangia per microsporophyll Seed cones large, disintegrating when mature Ovuliferous scales each bears 1 median ovule/seed 2. Cupressaceae Monoecious/dioecious trees or shrubs Leaves spiral, decussate, or whorled; deltoid-subulate, linear, or acicular Pollen cones w/ 2-10 microsporangia per microsporophyll Ovuliferous scales opposite, or in whorls of 3 Seeds/ovules several per scale Embryos 2 cotyledons 3. Podocarpaceae Dioecious trees Leaves linear, elliptic, or subulate to scalelike Seed cones w/ ovuliferous scales bearing 1 ovule *entire cone often reduced to 1 seed, sometimes borne on a fleshy receptacle Seed often enveloped by a fleshy epimatium and carpidium Embryo 2 cotyledons 4. Taxaceae Evergreen trees/shrubs Leaves linear-acicular, spiral-decussate Pollen cones w/ peltate microsporophylls Microsporophylls each bears 2-16 microsporangia Mature seed cones reduced to 1 seed Seed arillate Embryo 2 cotyledons Gnetales 1. Ephedraceae Dioecious shrubs, vines, or small trees Aerial stems narrow, striate, photosynthetic Leaves scale-like; opposite/whorled Pollen cones w/ decussate bracts subtending microsporangiophores Microsporangiophores each bears apical synangia; subtended by outer bract, 2 inner, connate bracteoles Seed cones 1-3 ovules; each ovule subtended by a bract; enclosed by an outer layer of connate bracteoles, inner integument Seeds winged/fleshy