Developmental Selection in Vascular Plants

Embryonic selection and gametic selection represent the important forms of developmental selection found among pteridophytes. Among gymnosperms the gametophytes plus the embryo usually take part in this competition, and among angiosperms it is typically a competition between male gametophytes represented by the pollen tubes. The important reproductive developmental process is merely shifted to an earlier stage of the life cycle in passing from ferns to angiosperms, where vegetative and other less important forms of developmental selection are also found.