Submitted By:

Deepak Das
Regd. No. 19mslsps02
M.Sc. Life Sciences (Specialization in Plant Sciences)
 Contents
• Introduction
• Meaning of Telome Theory
• Elementary Processes
• Concept of Telome Theory in Evolutionary
processes
• Merits
• Demerits
 Introduction
Aquatic plants → Land plants

Early vascular land plants

Evolved from

Rhynia

Rhynia
• Telome theory was first proposed by –
Walt Zimmermann in 1930

• Based upon : Fossil record

• Evolutionary modification :
 True Leaf
 True Stem
 True Root
 Complex Vascular System
 Protected Sporangia
 Meaning of Telome Theory
• Telome - “Single nerved ultimate terminal portion of a
dichotomising axis”
• 2 types of Telome:
Fertile Telome – Terminated by Sporangium
Sterile Telome – Without Sporangium
• The connecting axex between two telomes - Mesomes
• Several telomes grouped together to form Telome
truss/Syntelome
• Syntelome:
(i) Phylloid Truss – Only Sterile telomes
(ii) Fertile Truss – Only fertile telomes
A figure of Rhyniaceae showing different telomes
Kenrick, P. (2002). The telome theory. Developmental genetics and plant
evolution,
 Process of Telome Theory
• Rhynia group of plants underwent certain
evolutionary processes
– Overtopping
– Planation
– Syngenesis
– Reduction
– Curvation
Overtopping

• One of the two

dichotomising branches
outgrows the other and
become larger and
mechanically stronger
• Larger branch forms –
Axis
• Overtopped branch
forms – lateral branches Overtopping process
Planation
• Rearrangement of
telomes and
mesomes from a
three dimensional
pattern to a single
plane

Planation Process
Syngenesis
• Telomes and mesomes
fuse tangentially
• Parenchymatous tissue
is developed in between
• Known as webbing
process
• In stem of Selaginella
polystelic condition due
to - simple
parenchymous webbing Syngenesis Process
Reduction
• Activity of terminal
meristem of each
telome supressed
resulting into much
shorter branches
• Responsible for –
 Microphyllous
leaves of lycopsida
and Sphenopsida
 Needle like leaves Reduction Process
of conifers
Curvation
• The fertile Telomes
become curved or bend
downwards
• Two sub processes
 Incurvation -
downward shifting of
the sporangia from
terminal or ventral
surface of the leaf in
Pteropsida
 Recurvation -
downward bending of Recurvation process
the sporangia occurs
along with the
sporangial stalks in
Sphenopsida
 Concept of Telome Theory
Origin of Sporophylls in Lycopsida
• Planation of the fertile and sterile Telomes
• Reduction of the mesomes and in number of
spornagia
• Protolepidodendron and Psilotum – like
axillary sporangia and single veined leaves are
evolved
Origin of Sporophylls in Sphenopsida
• Recurvation and Syngenesis processes are
involved
• The intermediate developmental stages are
seen in some fossil genera like Calamophyton,
Hyenia, Protocalamostachys and
Asterocalamites
Origin of Sporophylls in Pteropsida
• Overtopping, reduction, syngenesis and
incurvation are the processes involved
• Pinnately-veined sporophylls with marginal
sori developed by the lateral fusion of
mesomes
• In many ferns, the sori are shifted downwards
due to the incurvation process
 Merits of Telome Theory
• Describes the origin and evolution of
sporophytes of land plants
• Structure of the sporophytes of the most
primitive known plants is defined
• The exact relationship between the root, stem
and leaves
• Connects the living and fossil plants.
 Demerits of Telome Theory
• Does not explain how a telome-like characteristic
body has been developed [Bower (1935)]
• Telome theory does not explain the whorled or
spiral arrangement of sporangia [Thomas (1950)]
• For origin of Lycopsida, it is somewhat
hypothetical [Andrews (1960)]
• Does not provide an acceptable origin of all leafy
structures
• It does not explain the derivation of the
dictyostelic condition [Stewart (1964)]
 Reference
• Beerling, D. J., & Fleming, A. J. (2007). Zimmermann's
telome theory of megaphyll leaf evolution: a molecular
and cellular critique. Current opinion in plant
biology, 10(1), 4-12.
• Kenrick, P. (2002). The telome theory. Developmental
genetics and plant evolution, 365-387.
• O.P.Sharma (2016), Series on “Diversity of Microbes
and Cryptogams – Pteridophyta” (pp 28.1-28.5) New
Delhi, India, McGraw Hill Education Pvt. Ltd.
• Vashishta, Sinha, Kumar (2006), Pteridophyta (pp 32-
36) New Delhi, India, S. Chand & Co Pvt. Ltd.