BOTANY WITH THE BASICS OF HYDROBOTANY (AQUATIC PLANTS OF UKRAINE) - B.Ye. Yakubenko - 2011

VIII. FUNDAMENTALS OF PLANT MORPHOLOGY AND ANATOMY

Features of Reproduction in Angiosperms

Origin of the Flower

There are numerous theories regarding THE ORIGIN OF the flower. The most prominent among them are the strobillar (euanthian), pseudanthian, and telome theories.

The pseudanthian theory was interpreted by the Austrian botanist R. Wettstein (1901). According to his concept, the bisexual flower of angiosperms evolved from a cluster of unisexual male and female strobili (flowers) of higher gymnosperms (Gnetophytes), with the most primitive families being Salicaceae, Betulaceae, Fagaceae, etc., which feature unisexual flowers gathered into inflorescences.

The strobillar (euanthian) theory was proposed and developed by the English botanists N. Arber and J. Parkin (1907), and was further scientifically substantiated by the German scientist H. Hallier (1912) and the American researcher C. Bessey (1915).

In their view, the flower originated from a bisexual insect-pollinated strobilus of ancient gymnosperms belonging to the Class Bennettitales—specifically, the proanthostrobilus, a bisexual cone along the axis of which protective leaves, microsporophylls, and megasporophylls were arranged in a spiral. The Evolution of the proanthostrobilus led to The Emergence of the anthostrobilus, a primitive flower. According to the euanthian theory, primitive flowers are large, bisexual flowers with a spiral arrangement of their elements on an elongated receptacle (Magnoliaceae family).

The telome theory, proposed by the German botanist W. Zimmermann (1930), is based on the assumption of numerous paleobotanists and morphologists that all principal Organs of higher plants, as well as the angiosperm flower, originate from telomes—cylindrical axial Organs of the vegetative body of primitive terrestrial higher plants (psilophytes). The main PARTS OF THE flower (stamens and pistils) arose from spore-bearing telomes, whereas the vegetative organs (ROOT, stem, leaf) formed from vegetative telomes.

This theory has not gained widespread acceptance among botanists.



Last update: 07/08/2026

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