How is the shape of tips of elaters in Equisetum?

We observed that the elaters clearly change their shape (figure 1). At high humidity levels, the elaters spiral around the spherical body. At less than 75% humidity, the elaters begin to unfurl and become straight at approximately 50% of relative humidity (RH), at which point they are fully extended.

In which Pteridophytes the elaters are found?

Their main function is the dispersal of spores as they push the spores out of the plant by absorbing moisture. Elaters are majorly found in Bryophytes, like elaters in hepaticopsida and pseudo-elaters in anthoceropsida. However, some forms are also seen in Pteridophytes such as Equisetum.

In which plant elaters are found?

In the liverworts also known as hepaticopsida [example Riccia,Marchantia], elaters are cells that develop in the sporophyte alongside the spores. They are complete cells, usually with helical thickenings at maturity that respond to moisture content.

What are elaters and their function?

Elaters are the ribbon or tube like structures attached to the wall of spore. The elaters function is to increase dispersal because they push the spores out of the plant by absorbing moisture.

What are elaters in Equisetum?

Equisetum plants (horsetails) reproduce by producing tiny spherical spores that are typically 50 µm in diameter. The spores have four elaters, which are flexible ribbon-like appendages that are initially wrapped around the main spore body and that deploy upon drying or fold back in humid air.

What is the structure of Equisetum?

The stem of Equisetum has two parts: perennial, underground, much-branched rhizome and an erect, usually annual aerial shoot. The branching is monopodial, shoots are differentiated into nodes and internodes.

In which bryophyte elaters are present?

shows part of a broken spore capsule of the thallose liverwort Fossombronia papillata. As well as elaters you can see spores (the round dark brown objects) and fragments of the spore capsule wall (the flat, often brown-speckled sheets).

What is the functional significance of the response of elaters to moisture?

The functional significance of the response of elaters to moisture is that they help disperse spores by twisting.

How are elaters formed?

Elaters are sterile diploid cells formed from archesporial tis- sue in the capsules of liverworts and hornworts. Elaters of liverworts form from a spore-elater division and do not undergo further mitotic divisions (Schuster 1966).

What is the difference between elaters and Pseudoelaters?

Elaters and pseudoelaters are sterile cells, where they combine with spores and release into valves, Elaters are usually present in hepaticopsida whereas pseudoelaters are present in Anthocerotopsida.

What are Elaters in Equisetum?

What is Equisetum in botany?

Equisetum (/ˌɛkwɪˈsiːtəm/; horsetail, snake grass, puzzlegrass) is the only living genus in Equisetaceae, a family of vascular plants that reproduce by spores rather than seeds.

What does Equisetum palustre mean?

• E. palustre: details of fertile stem, sporangiophore and spores. Equisetum palustreL. a-e, fertile stem (a, internode; b, sheaths on main stem; c, branch sheaths; d and e, cone with sporangiophores; g, detail of a sporangiophore, inverted to show 7 dehisced sporangia; h, a spore with elaters wrapped around it (above) and spread.

What is the function of elaters in Equisetum?

Through these actions the elaters help in the dehiscence process and also the dispersal of spores in large groups from the sporangium. The elaters of Equisetum are different from those of the bryophytes (Table 7.6). Gametophyte Generation: Equisetum is a homosporous pteridophyte.

What is Equisetum (horsetail)?

Equisetum is a genus of ferns commonly known as the ‘horsetails’. They consist of 15 species of considerably unique plants from the class of ferns known as Equisetopsida.

Equisetum species have rhizomes that grow deep below the grounds surface. Some species have cone-like structures called strobili that produce and house the plants spores for reproduction.