Give an account of endothecium of anther wall.

Explanation

(i) It is generally a single layer of radially elongated cells found below the epidermis.
(ii) The inner tangential walls develop bands. The cells are hygroscopic.
(iii) In the anthers of aquatic plants, saprophytes, cleistogamous flowers and extremem parasites parasites endothecial differentiation is absent.
(iv) The cells along the junction of the two sporangia of an anther lobe lack these thickenings. This region is called stomium and breaks during dehiscence.