Bilobed Anther

What is Dithecous Anther?

A dithecous anther is a type of anther with two thecae, each containing pollen sacs or microsporangia, found in angiosperms.

How many Thecae are Present in a Bilobed Anther?

A typical bilobed anther has two thecae, hence is termed as dithecous. Each lobe has a theca or cavity consisting of a pair of microsporangia.

What is an Example of a Bilobed Anther?

Most angiosperms have bilobed anthers; examples include tomato, potato, lily, and rattlepod etc.

Is an Anther always Bilobed?

Generally, anthers are bilobed, but there are exceptions. Single-lobed, monothecous anthers are found in plants such as cotton, okra, and hibiscus.

What are the Different Types of Anthers?

Anthers are of two types based on the number of thecae: monothecous and dithecous. Anthers can also be classified into basifixed, sub-basifixed, dorsifixed, and versatile based on their point of attachment.

What is Stigma vs Anther?

A stigma is a part of the female reproductive structure, whereas an anther is part of the male reproductive structure in a flower. During pollination, the stigma receives pollen from the anthers.

What are the Different Types of Anthers?

Different types of anthers include dithecous (with two thecae) and monothecous (with a single theca), along with variations in shape and arrangement like bilobed and multilocular, found in different plant species.

What is a Microsporangium?

A microsporangium is a structure within the anther of a plant where microspores are produced by meiosis, eventually developing into pollen grains. It is the site of male gametophyte formation in seed plants.

The bilobed anther is a part of the stamen and serves as the site of pollen production and dispersal. Typically, an anther is bilobed, dithecous, and tetrasporangiate in most angiosperms with a few exceptions. The structure of a bilobed anther consists of two lobes, each containing a pair of microsporangia or pollen sacs called thecae. These thecae are where pollen grains develop and mature.

The two sporangia in each lobe become confluent at maturity and cause lysis of the septum separating them. At maturity, the anther dehisces along a slit termed the stomium to release the pollen. Mature pollen carries sperm cells to the stigma of the female reproductive part for fertilization. In this article, we will read about the bilobed anther diagram and the structure, and function of the bilobed anther.