Funaria: Funaria, also known as ‘cord moss,’ is made up of approximately 210 species, 18 of which can be found in India. The name Funaria comes from the Latin word ‘Funis,’ which means rope. It is a cosmopolitan bryophyte that grows in both tropical and temperate regions around the world. This moss thrives in moist and shaded areas, forming dense patches of bright green colour. It can be found in a variety of habitats, including river banks, damp walls, rock crevices, humid soils, and tree trunks. Funaria capsules are divided into three parts: apophasis, operculum, and theca. Apophasis serves as the sterile base of the cell. The article below provides more information on Funaria, including its characteristics, classification, and reproduction.
Sexual Reproduction in Flowering Plants
Funaria Diagram
Funaria Diagram is as follows:
Funaria Classification
Funaria is a moss plant belonging to the Kingdom Plantae, Division Bryophyta, Class Bryopsida, Order Funariales, and Family Funariaceae. It is a cosmopolitan plant with around 210 known species, commonly referred to as ‘cord moss’.
| Funaria Classification | |
|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae |
| Division | Bryophyta |
| Class | Bryopsida |
| Order | Funariales |
| Family | Funariaceae |
| Genus | Funaria |
| Funaria Common Name | Cord Moss |
Funaria Structure
Funaria, also referred to as ‘cord moss,’ has a unique bryophyte-like structure, which includes:
1. Funaria Gametophyte:
- The dominant and visible stage of the Funaria life cycle.
- It consists of leafy stems, rhizoids, and reproductive structures.
- The leafy stem is the main body, bearing spirally arranged leaves.
- Rhizoids are hair-like structures that anchor the plant and absorb water and nutrients.
2. Funaria Leaves:
- Small, simple, and usually lanceolate in shape.
- Arranged spirally around the stem.
- Each leaf has a single midrib and lacks a differentiated vein pattern.
3. Funaria Reproductive Structures:
- Funaria reproduces sexually through structures called antheridia and archegonia.
- Antheridia produce male gametes (sperm), while archegonia produce female gametes (eggs).
- These structures are usually found at the tips of the gametophyte.
4. Funaria Sporophyte:
- The funaria sporophyte is the diploid, spore-producing stage of the life cycle.
- It grows from the fertilized egg (zygote) and remains attached to the gametophyte.
- The funaria sporophyte consists of a foot, seta, and capsule.
- The foot anchors the sporophyte to the gametophyte.
- The seta is a stalk that elevates the capsule.
- The capsule contains spores produced by meiosis.
- The capsule is often divided into three parts: apophysis, operculum, and theca.
5. Funaria Capsule:
Funaria capsule is the spore-producing organ of the sporophyte.
It is divided into three parts:
- Apophysis: The swollen, basal part of the capsule.
- Operculum: The lid-like structure at the top of the capsule.
- Theca: The main body of the capsule containing spores.
6. Funaria Spores:
- It is produced inside the capsule through meiosis.
- Dispersed by wind or water to colonise new habitats and start new gametophyte plants.
This structure allows Funaria to thrive in various environments, especially moist and shaded areas, where it plays an essential role in the ecosystem as a primary producer and habitat provider.
Funaria Characteristics
Funaria is a genus of mosses commonly found in moist, shaded habitats like damp soil, rocks, and tree trunks. Here are key features of Funaria mosses:
- Dominant Gametophyte Phase: Funaria mosses have a life cycle where the gametophyte phase is dominant and photosynthetic.
- Leafy Gametophyte Structure: The gametophyte of Funaria species consists of leafy stems that are simple and unbranched. The leaves spiral around the stem and are usually one cell layer thick.
- Rhizoids: Funaria species have multicellular rhizoids that anchor the plant and absorb water and nutrients from the environment.
- Sexual Reproduction: Funaria mosses reproduce sexually through male and female gametangia. Male gametangia (antheridia) produce sperm, while female gametangia (archegonia) produce eggs. Fertilization occurs when sperm reach and fertilize the eggs.
- Spore Capsules: A funaria capsule develops at the tip of the seta (stalk), containing spores after fertilization. The capsule releases spores that germinate into new gametophytes.
- Ecological Role: Funaria species contribute to soil formation and nutrient cycling. They can also indicate environmental conditions like moisture levels and air quality.
- Habitat: Funaria mosses are commonly found in moist, shaded habitats such as forests, woodlands, and wetlands. They can also grow in disturbed areas like burned sites or areas with exposed soil.
These are general characteristics of Funaria mosses, and specific species may exhibit variations.
| Other NEET Biology Topics | ||
|---|---|---|
| Ribosomes | Pollination | Apomixis |
| Centrosome | Embryo | Tissues |
| Rhizopus | Pinus | Gluconeogenesis |
| Chlamydomonas | Chara | Ribs |
Funaria Reproduction
Funaria, a moss, reproduces through vegetative and sexual methods.
Vegetative Reproduction of Funaria
Vegetative Reproduction of Funaria consists of:
- Primary Protonema: Spores germinate to form primary protonema, which are branched, filamentous, multicellular structures. These cells break into fragments, leading to the development of new protonemal cells, which eventually grow into leafy gametophores.
- Secondary Protonema: If protonema develops from means other than spore germination, it’s termed secondary protonema. It can arise from broken or injured rhizoids, stems, or leaves, giving rise to a new gametophore.
- Bulbils: These are small resting buds that arise from the rhizoids. In favorable conditions, bulbils divide and produce filamentous protonema, which can grow into leafy gametophytes.
- Gemmae: When conditions are unfavorable, terminal cells of the protonema divide to form 10-30 celled green bodies known as gemmae. These structures divide further in favorable conditions, developing into new plants.
- Apospory: This is the development of a gametophyte from a sporophyte without spore formation. Vegetative cells of the sporophyte give rise to green protonemal fragments, which later develop into a gametophyte. The gametophyte produced from apospory is diploid, leading to the formation of tetraploid and sterile sporophytes.
Sexual Reproduction of Funaria
In Funaria, sexual reproduction occurs in an oogamous manner. The male reproductive structure is known as the antheridium, while the female reproductive structure is called the archegonium. Funaria is both monoecious (male and female reproductive organs on the same plant) and autoicous (male and female reproductive organs growing on different branches of the same plant).
The gametophyte’s main shoot contains clusters of antheridia and serves as the male branch, while the female branches emerge as lateral outgrowths from the base of the male branches and contain archegonia. The female branch grows higher than the male branch. Funaria is protandrous, meaning the antheridia mature before the archegonia to promote cross-pollination.
Antheridium
The antheridium, the male sex organ, is approximately 1cm in height. It bears reddish-brown to orange antheridia in various stages of development. The antheridia are surrounded by a rosette of leaves called perigonial leaves. The antheridial cluster, along with the leaf rosette, is known as the perigonium. Numerous club-shaped, sterile, hair-like structures called paraphyses are found in the antheridia. They store water, assist in photosynthesis, aid in the dehiscence of antheridia, and protect the developing male reproductive organs.
Structure of the Antheridium
The structure of the antheridium includes a club-shaped structure with a short and stout multicellular stalk. The antheridial body is massive and elongated, covered by a layer of sterile cells called the antheridial wall or jacket. At the apex of the antheridium, there are a few layered thick walls called opercular cells. The androcyte mother cells are present below the wall layer. These cells divide to form two androcytes, which further develop into biflagellated and elongated sperm or spermatozoids.
When mature, the opercular cells absorb water and swell up. The walls of the opercular cells and androcytes become gelatinous, and a terminal pore develops at the tip of the antheridium. The androcytes are released from this pore, covered in mucilage, which dissolves in water, allowing the androcytes to develop into biflagellated sperms.
Archegonium
The archegonium, the female sex organ, is borne in clusters at the tip of the archegonial branch, which is higher than the male branch.
Structure of Archegonium
The archegonium is a flask-shaped structure with a neck, a swollen venter, and a narrow neck. It is connected to the female branch via a stalk. The venter has a venter cavity surrounded by a double-layered venter wall, as well as a ventral canal cell and egg. The neck is made up of an axial row of 8-12 neck canal cells, and the tip is closed off by four cover cells.
Upon maturity, the neck canal cells and ventral canal cells disorganize to form mucilage. The cover cell of the archegonium separates, forming an open passage leading to the canal.
Funaria Life Cycle
Funaria has a haplo-diplontic form of life cycle. Funaria life cycle consists of:
Fertilisation
The spermatozoids are transported to the archegonium through wind pollination or splashing raindrops. The presence of mucilage at the archegonia’s opening attracts the spermatozoids. They then enter the venter cavity through the neck canal. One spermatozoid merges with the egg cell, forming a zygote that later develops into a sporophyte.
Sporophyte
The sporophyte is the diploid plant of Funaria, attaching to the gametophyte like a parasite. The zygote undergoes repeated divisions, forming a globular proembryo. The proembryo develops into a diploid sporophyte, which remains attached to the tip of the female branch. The sporophyte partially relies on the gametophyte for nutrition.
The sporophyte can be divided into three parts:
- Foot: This swollen basal part of the sporophyte is embedded in the convex tip of the female branch. It consists of parenchymal cells and attaches the sporophyte to the gametophyte, aiding in nutrient absorption.
- Seta: A long reddish-brown cylindrical structure connecting the capsule to the foot. It comprises an outer epidermis, a middle cortex, and a central cylinder, carrying food and water from the foot to the capsule.
- Capsule: The capsule is the sporophyte’s body where spores develop. It can be green, yellow, or orange, and pear-shaped. It consists of three parts:
- Apophysis: The basal sterile part of the capsule in direct contact with the seta, comprising an outer epidermis, a middle cortex, and a central cylinder for food and water conduction.
- Theca: The middle portion containing a central sterile core (columella) surrounded by a spore sac with spore mother cells undergoing meiosis to produce spores.
- Lid: The sterile terminal portion with an outer thick-walled epidermis and inner thin-walled parenchymatous layers. It is separated from the theca by a narrow constriction and contains a ring of peristome teeth involved in capsule dehiscence.
Capsule Dehiscence
As the capsule matures, the operculum is removed by the rupture of the annulus, exposing the peristome teeth to the air. The capsule gradually dries, leading to the rupture of the peristome teeth, which form a fringe around the spore sac’s mouth, releasing spores in small amounts.
Spore Germination
The spores, or meiospores, produced by sporophytes are haploid. They are produced in the capsule by reductional division and consist of an outer exine and inner intine layer. The spore absorbs moisture, swells, and ruptures the exine. The intine grows into a germ tube, then into a branched filamentous structure called protonema, which grows on the substratum by attaching to rhizoids. Lateral buds grow from the protonema, giving rise to gametophytes.
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Funaria FAQs
Funaria is a type of moss commonly known as cord moss, specifically Funaria hygrometrica.
Funaria moss typically grows in dense patches or cushions in damp, shaded, and cool environments such as rocks, walls, or crevices, especially during the rainy seasons.
Funaria plants are monoecious and autoecious, which means they have male (antheridia, club-shaped) and female (archegonia, flask-shaped) reproductive organs on different branches of the same plant.
Funaria exhibits a haplo-diplontic life cycle, where a free-living haploid gametophyte alternates with a semi-parasitic diploid sporogonium during its life cycle (Sporophyte).
