CLASSIFICATION-
Class-Lycopsida
Order-Lepidodenrales
Family-Lepidocarpaceae
Genus-Lepidocarpon
Definition
Lepidocaron are the fossilized seeds of the natural genus,lepidodendron found in the form of compresion.
Importance of fossil in understanding plant evolution-
Fossil provide important evidence for evloution and the adaption of plant and animal to their enviroment.
Fossil evidence provides a record of how creatures envolved and how this process can be respresented by a ‘tree of life’ showing that all species are releted to each other.
BREIF ON PTERIDOPHYTES
Primitive vascular plants
examples:ferns ,clubmosses,horsetails
Predominant during the carboniferous period.
LEPIDOCARPON-AN OVERVIEW
A type of lycopsid seed
Lepidocarpon are the fossilzed seed of the genus ,lepidodenron found in the forms of compressions
A genus that lived in the Carboniferous period
It is called as pseudospermatophyte
It is main characteristic is megasporangium
STRUCTURE OF LEPIDOCARPON
Megaspore surrounded by a thick envelope
Consists of a central body(Lepidostrobus)and a stalk (Lepidophloios)
Leaving an elongated slit like adaxial opening between the integumentary halves
This opening might have served as the crude micropyle
The flaps are not new organs, but are simply the outgrowths of the lateral margins of the pedicles
Most distinctive feature is the presence of a single functional megaspore
It develops to a mature gametophyte ,without shed from the strobilus
Megaspore wall consist of loosely arranged strands of sporopollenin
Embryos could not be seen
In some species-aborted 3 spores and a functional one is observed
Sporophyll of Lepidocarpon has many similarities with gymnosperm ovule-sporangium,megaspore and mega sporophyte
IMPORTANCE IN PLANT EVOLUTION
One of the earliest seed plants
Shows transition from spore bearing plants to seed bearing plants
Fossil evidence provides a record of how creatures evolved and how this process can be represented by a “tree of life” showing that all species are related to each other.
SIGNIFICANCE IN PALEOBOTANY
Helps in deciphering plant evolution
Provide insight into plaeoclimate and plaeoenvironment
CONCLUSION
It is a seed like structure
It illustrates a convergent evolution
It is quite possible that a sporangium with many mega sporangium (megaspore) might have given rise to an integumented nucellus with a single functional megaspore
Lepidocarpon provides crucial insights into early seed plant evolution
A bridge between ancient spore bearing ad morden seed bearing plants.
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