Muntazir Mehdi
Comparative study of class cycadopsida class coniferopsida and class genetopsida
Sr. Characters ClassCycadopsida Class Class Gnetopisida
No Coniferopsida
01 Common name Cycads Conifers Gnetophytes
02 Habit Palm-like, unbranched Woody trees or shrubs, Woody trees, shrubs,
trunks often branched or vines
03 Root Taproot, coralloid Deep taproots Taproot (varies)
04 Stem structure Thick, unbranched Woody, secondary Woody/photosynthetic
growth stem
05 Leaves Large, pinnate, Needle-like or scale- Broad leaves, varying
evergreen like, mostly evergreen in form
06 Reproductive Large cones (strobili), Cones (male and female Cones or flower-like
Structures separate male and separate or on same structures
female cones plant)
07 Pollination Wind, sometimes Mostly wind Wind or insect-assisted
insect-
assisted
08 Habitat Tropics and subtropics Temperate and subpolar Tropical and desert
regions environments
09 Vascular System Primitive, tracheids Well-developed with Vessels in xylem
only. tracheids (advanced feature)
10 Growth Form Slow-growing, non- Rapid growth, branched Moderate growth,
branching some lianas
11 Economic Ornamental plants, Timber, paper, resins Medicinal uses,
Importance food (starch) ornamental
12 Geographical Tropics/subtropics Temperate/cold regions Varied: deserts, tropics
distribution
13 Fossil Record Ancient, originated in Appeared in More recent, appeared
the Permian period Carboniferous- Permian in Mesozoic era
periods
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14 Examples Cycas, Zamia, Pinus, Cedrus, Ephedra, Gnetum,
Macrozamia Cupressus Welwitschia
Comparative study of order of class cycadopsida
Sr. Characteristics Order Order Bennettitales Order Order
No Pteridospermale Pentoxylales Cycadales
s
01 Common Seed Ferns Cycadeoids Pentoxylans Cycads
name
02 Examples Lyginopteris, Williamsonia, Pentoxylon Cycas, Zamia,
Medullosa Cycadeoidea Encephalartos
03 Habit Small to Shrubs or small Small woody Palm-like trees or
medium trees, trees plants shrubs
fern-like
04 Stem structure Woody, fern- Woody, short trunk Woody, vascular Woody, unbranched
like, with with leaf scars bundles in a ring trunks
vascular bundles
05 Leaf type Frond-like, fern- Pinnate, leathery Small, Pinnate, leathery
like compound
06 Leaf Spirally Spirally arranged, Spirally arranged Spirally arranged
arrangements arranged sometimes crowded
07 Root Taproot with Normal and Likely similar to Taproot with coralloid
lateral branches coralloid roots gymnosperms roots
08 Xylem Mainly tracheids Tracheids and Tracheids Tracheids
vessels
09 Phloem Sieve cells Sieve cells Sieve cells Sieve cells
10 Reproductive Seeds on fronds Bisexual Seeds in cupules Cones (separate male
satratagey reproductive and female)
structures
11 Male structure Pollen sacs on Pollen-bearing Unknown Cones
leaf- like “flowers”
structures
12 Female Seeds on Ovule-bearing Seeds in cupules Cones
structure specialized “flowers”
leaves
13 Pollination Wind Likely insect- Unknown Wind and insect-
mediated mediated
14 Economic Fossil fuels Fossils studied for Limited fossil Horticulture,
importance evolutionary links evidence traditional medicine
15 Ecological Extinct; Extinct; Mesozoic Extinct; Tropical and
distribution widespread in tropical regions restricted to subtropical regions
Paleozoic specific areas
16 Fossil record Rich; Rich; Triassic to Limited Poor to moderate
widespread in. Cretaceous
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Paleozoic
17 Extinct All species All species extinct All species Few species extinct
species extinct extinct
18 Habitat Moist and Tropical and Likely dry/arid Tropical forests and
swampy regions subtropical regions regions open grasslands
Comparative study of order of class Coniferopsida
Sr. Characteristics Cordaitales Coniferales Taxales Ginkgoales
No
01 Common name Extinct group of Conifers Yews Maidenhair tree
gymnosperms
02 Examples Cordaites (fossil) Pine (Pinus), Fir Yew (Taxus Ginkgo (Ginkgo
(Abies) baccata) biloba)
03 Root Taproot system Deep taproots Fibrous root Deep taproot
with laterals system system
04 Stem structure Woody, with Woody, well- Woody, with Woody, secondary
secondary growth developed reduced resin growth present
ducts
05 Leaf type Long, strap-shaped Needle-like or Linear or Fan-shaped,
scale- like lanceolate bilobed
06 Leaf arrangements Spirally arranged Spiral, opposite, Spirally arranged Alternate on short
or whorled shoots
07 Habit Tall, tree-like Trees and shrubs Shrubs or small Deciduous tree
trees
08 Habitat Swampy and Temperate to Temperate forests Cultivated and
coastal regions cold regions native forests
(fossil)
09 Xylem Mainly tracheids Tracheids, resin Tracheids, no Tracheids
canals resin canals
10 Phloem Sieve cells Sieve cells Sieve cells Sieve cells
11 Reproductive Heterosporous, Heterosporous, Dioecious, seed- Dioecious, wind-
satratagey wind-pollinated wind-pollinated bearing pollinated
12 Male structure Pollen cones Pollen cones Pollen sacs on Catkin-like pollen
microsporangia strobili
13 Female structure Ovulate cones Ovulate cones Aril-covered Naked ovules on
seeds stalks
14 Economic Fossil fuel sources Timber, resin, Ornamental, Medicinal,
importance (coal) paper pulp medicinal (taxol) ornamental
15 Ecological Paleozoic forests Worldwide, Temperate forests Native to China,
distribution (extinct) mainly cultivated globally
coniferous
forests
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