Gonial Apospory and Somatic Apospory

Gonial Apospory

There is no meiosis. The megaspore mother cell enlarges; a small vacuole appears above and below the nucleus. The cell thus becomes 1-nucleate embryo sac. Three successive mitotic divisions result into an 8-nucleate embryo sac. In Brachycome, the polar nuclei function directly as the first 2 endosperm nuclei.

Somatic Apospory

Meiosis is apparently normal but megaspores play no part in the embryo sac formation. Either during or soon after meiosis one or more sporophytic cells (nucellar or chalazal) enlarge and invade the nucellar lobe destroying and replacing the megaspore. After 3 successive nuclear divisions each such cell becomes differentiated into an aposporic 2n embryo sac with normal organization. Thus, gametophytic generation is completely eliminated.