The female gametophyte or embryo sac is located inside the nucellus; enclosed within the integuments. In a majority of flowering plants, one of the megaspore is functional while the other three degenerate. Three repeated mitotic divisions of the functional megaspore results in the formation of seven-celled or eight-nucleate embryo sac. Six of the eight nuclei are organised at the two poles. Three cells grouped at micropylar end forms egg-apparatus and 3 at the chalazal end forms antipodal cells. The large central cell at the centre has two polar nuclei. The meiotic divisions in the formation of embryo sac are strictly free-nuclear, that is nuclear divisions are not followed immediately by cell-wall formation. Gametophyte is situated at micropylar end not at chalazal end.

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