Abstract:

Abstract： The microsporogenesis and the development of male gametophyte of Juniperus rigida (stiff leaf juniper) were observed by means of traditional paraffin wax sections. The results were as follows: The male cone of Stiff leaf Juniper differentiated at the beginning of March. The microsporangium wall of J. rigida comprised one epidermis, one middle layers and a tapetum. The sporogenous cell occurred in the middle of March. The microspore mother cell was formed in late March, and the meiosis of microsporocyte began to occur at the beginning of April. Tetrad formed in the middle of April and microspore was released in late April. The mature pollen was in individual cell form and began to shed at the beginning of May. The pollen stayed in dormancy in the ovule after shedding, and the pollen developed the single nucleus pollen divided by mitosis three times and formed one tube nucleus, one sterile cell and two sperm at the beginning of next April. The development of the microspore mother cell was not synchronous, and some microsporocytes degenerated, resulting in formation of a large cavity in the microsporangium. The microsporophylls bare their microsporangia on the abaxial surface and axillae. The microstrobilus was a complex microstrobilus.

Key words: Key words： Juniperus rigida, microspore mother cell, male