Gymnosperm vs Angiosperm Flowers, Fruits and Seeds too

Seed Plants Seed plants are plants that produce seeds in order to reproduce. Two types of seed plants exist today: Gymnosperms “gymno” – meaning “naked” “sperm” – meaning “seed” Angiosperms “angio” – meaning “vessel”

Gymnosperm Characteristics Oldest of seed plants Used to be most abundant type of plant on the planet, now only four groups exist: Cycads Conifers Ginkgoes Gnetophytes Have needle-like or scale-like leaves

Gymnosperm Examples Cycads Live mainly in tropic regions Look like a palm tree but produce a cone Cycad Cone

Gymnosperm Examples Conifers Cone bearing plants Have needles for leaves Most diverse group Pines Sequoias Junipers Western White Pine

Gymnosperm Examples-Conifers con’t. Sequoia Juniper

Gymnosperm Examples Gnetophyte Can grow in hot deserts or in tropical rain forests Can live to 1,000 years Welwitschia

Gymnosperm Reproduction Most gymnosperms produce cones Male – makes pollen Female – contains the ovule Ovule contains the egg cell which, after fertilization, becomes a seed Fertilization – the joining of a sperm and an egg

Gymnosperm Reproduction

Angiosperm Characteristics ALL angiosperms produce flowers ALL Flowers make a fruit! ALL angiosperms have seeds that are enclosed in fruits (the “vessel”)

Angiosperm Examples Apple blossom Wheat

Angiosperm Examples Lily Tomato

ANYTHING THAT HAS A FLOWER!

Flower Structure The flower is the reproductive structure of an angiosperm. Sepals – leaf like structures that protect the developing flower Petals – generally the most colorful part of the flower Color, size, shape and odor attract pollinators

Flower Structure - Petals Bright blue and violet – bees Red, pink, fuchsia or purple – Hummingbirds Yellow, orange, pink and reds - Butterflies

Flower Structure – Stamen Stamen – the MALE part of the flower, has two parts: Anther – Makes pollen Filament – holds up the anther

Flower Structure - Pistil Pistil – the FEMALE part of the flower, has three parts Stigma – has a sticky surface to catch pollen Style – tube – like structure the pollen travels down Ovary – contains the ovules (eggs) and becomes the fruit after fertilization Ovules (eggs) – become the seeds after fertilization

Flower Structure

Fruits The fruit is a ripened ovary used to protect the developing seeds, enable the seeds to be carried to a new location and nourish the seeds when deposited on the ground If it has a seed, it is a FRUIT (according to science) All Flowers make a Fruit. True story. Peppers, cucumbers, avocadoes are fruits

Fruits

Seeds Seeds – ovules that become fertilized Carry the genetic information for a new plant

Seed Dispersal Seeds are dispersed or spread in 4 main ways: Wind Water Animal Fur Feces Expulsion

Wind dispersal

Seed Dispersal

Seed dispersal

Just Common Courtesy

Seed Dispersal

Life Cycle of an Angiosperm