Characteristics of Gymnosperms
Mentioned below are the characteristics of gymnosperm:
- They are the most primitive and simple seed plants.
- The seeds produced by these plants are naked and are not enclosed within fruits.
- Usually perennial, evergreen, and woody plants, are present in colder areas.
- Gymnosperms usually have needle-like leaves.
- Sporophylls are aggregated to form cones. These are separate male and female cones.
- Xylem lacks vessels and the phloem lacks companion cells.
- The plant body is saprophytic and is differentiated into roots, stems, and leaves.
- Leaves are generally spirally arranged. They may be whorled as in Cedrus or opposite and decussate as in Gnetum.
- Vegetative methods of reproduction are rare in gymnosperms. Cycads do propagate through bulbils.
- Pollination is direct i.e., pollen grains come in contact in direct contact with the ovule.
- All gymnosperms are wind-pollinated because stigma is absent in gymnosperms.
- The number of cotyledons in a seed is one or two as in Cycas or many as in Pinus.
Gymnosperms – Definition, Characteristics, Uses and Examples
Gymnosperms are a group of seed-bearing plants that do not produce flowers or fruits. Gymnosperms are not surrounded by fruit. They are believed to have first appeared during the Carboniferous period and became the dominant land plants during the Mesozoic era. In this article, we will cover gymnosperm notes, their classification, characteristics, and more.
Table of Content
- What are Gymnospermae?
- Characteristics of Gymnosperms
- Classification of Gymnosperms
- Cycadophyta
- Ginkgophyta
- Gnetophyta
- Coniferophyta
- Gymnosperms Example
- Gymnosperm Life Cycle
- Importance of Gymnosperms
- Gymnosperms and Angiosperms Difference