Question

How is a coniferophyta megagametophyta different from a magnoliophyta megagametophyta?

Answer 1

Coniferophyta is a taxon belonging to Gymnosperms while, Magnoliophyta is a taxon belonging to Angiosperms. In angiosperms, the female gametophyte in the ovule exists in an enclosed structure, the ovary; in gymnosperms, the female gametophyte is present on exposed bracts of the female cone and is not enclosed in an ovary. The difference between female gametophytes, i.e., megagametophyte between these two taxon is given as below:

Coniferphyta Megagametophyte	Magnoliophyta Megagametophyte
It is the woody part.	Megasporophyll is structured to form a carpel.
Stigma and Style absent.	Stigma and Style present.
Ovules lie on the megasporophyll and are not borne on the placenta.	Ovules are present inside the ovary part of the carpel; these are attached to the placenta.
Ovules are sessile.	Ovules are produced on a stalk or funiculus.
An ovule is covered by three layers of integuments of wide miropyle.	An ovule is covered by one or two thin integuments of narrow miropyle.
The female gametophyte is parenchymatous and large.	The female gametophyte contains seven-celled and eight nucleate embryo sac.
Distinct archegonia is present.	Archegonia are absent