EVERYDAY SCIENCE

Detailed explanation-1: -1. Sporophytic Phase: Spore producing organs: Marsilea is heterosporous i. e., it produce two types of spores-microspores and megaspores. These spores are produced in microsporangia and megasporangia, respectively.

Detailed explanation-2: -Marsilea drummondii is an aquatic perennial rhizomatous fern. It is highly polymorphic in many features. The sterile fronds are erect when growing in mud, floating when growing in water (Jones, 1998), each consisting of two pairs of leaflets arranged in a fourleaf-clover pattern.

Detailed explanation-3: -Gametophyte: Marsilea is heterosporous i.e., they produce microspores and megaspores which eventually germinate to form the male and female gametophytes, respectively. Male Gametophyte: The microspores are small, globose structures with a thick outer ornamented exine and inner thin intine.

Detailed explanation-4: -Common names include water clover and four-leaf clover because of the long-stalked leaves have four clover-like lobes and are either present above water or submerged.