The Angiosperms or Flowering Plants 519 



groups, in order that the student may see that the sequence of 

 events in the life cycle of an angiosperm is very similar to that 

 of a fern, a cycad, or a conifer. 



The sporophyte. In addition to the root, stem, scale leaves, 

 foliage leaves, and sporophylls displayed by the gymnosperms, 

 the angiosperms have bracts and floral leaves. 



The bracts are small leaves that occur at the base of flowers 

 and flower clusters. Usually they are green, but in the flowering 

 dogwood they are white or pink and in poinsettia are scarlet. 



The floral leaves form a perianth about the microsporophylls 

 (stamens) and the megasporophylls (carpels). In the simplest 

 flowers they are green; in more advanced flower types the 

 inner cycle forming the corolla is white, or variously colored. 



Fig. 325. Flowers of Magnolia conspicua, showing cone-like arrangement of stamens and 

 carpels. The magnolia is a representative of the order Ranales, believed to be the most 

 primitive group of the angiosperms. 



