36 
PHARMACEUTICAL BOTANY 
RESEMBLANCES BETWEEN GYMNOSPERMS AND ANGIOSPERMS 
1. In both are developed those structures in which there is no 
homologue, e.g., flowers. 
2. In both the flowers develop at least two sets of leaves (either 
on one or two plants of the same species) called sporophylla or 
sporophyll leaves, the stamens and carpels. The stamens or stam- 
inal leaves are also termed microsporophylls. The carpels or 
carpellate leaves are also known as megasporophylls. 
3. Both groups produce microspores or pollen grains and mega- 
spores or embryo sacs. 
4. In both are developed on the evident generation, the plant or 
sporophyte and the gametophyte, the latter concealed within the 
megaspore of the sporophyte. 
5. Both develop seeds with one or two seed coats. 
6. In both groups there is developed from the fertilized egg an 
embryo which lies within the cavity of the megaspore. 
7. In both there exists a root and a stem pericambium. 
8. Both produce collateral vascular bundles. Very rarely do we 
meet with concentric bundles in the stem or leaf of Angiosperms. 
FUNDAMENTAL DIFFERENCES BETWEEN GYMNOSPERMS AND 
ANGIOSPERMS 
1. The flowers of Gymnosperms are often monoecious or dioecious 
but very rarely hermaphrodite as in Welwitchia, whereas those of 
Angiosperms are usually hermaphrodite, rather rarely monoecious, 
still more rarely dioecious. 
2. In the Gymnosperms the sporophylls are usually inserted 
either spirally or in whorls around a distinctly elongated axis, 
whereas in Angiosperms the sporophylls are condensed to short 
whorls or spirals set around a shortened axis, the floral axis or recep- 
tacle, torus or thalamus, or, as in the more modified Angiosperms, 
the floral axis may even become hollow. 
3. In Gymnosperms the microsporophylls or stamens are usually 
sessile, whereas in Angiosperms the microsporophylls are nearly 
always stalked. Rarely do we find sessile anthers among Angio- 
