What are gymnosperms?

Question

What is the difference between gymnosperms and angiosperms?

Answer 1

Gymnosperms are a group of vascular plants whose seeds are not enclosed by a ripened ovary (fruit)

the angiosperms, whose seeds are surrounded by an ovary wall. The seeds of many gymnosperms (literally, "naked seed") are borne in cones and are not visible. These cones, however, are not the same as fruits.

During pollination, the immature male gametes, or pollen grains, sift among the cone scales and land directly on the ovules (which contain the immature female gametes) rather than on elements of a flower (the stigma and carpel) as in angiosperms.

Furthermore, at maturity, the cone expands to reveal the naked seeds. Gymnosperms were considered at one time to be a class of seed plants, called Gymnospermae, but taxonomists now tend to recognize four distinct divisions of extant gymnospermous plants (Coniferophyta, Cycadophyta, Ginkgophyta, Gnetophyta) and to use the term gymnosperms only when referring to the naked-seed habit.

Currently, about 60-70 genera are recognized, with a total of 700-800 species. Gymnosperms are distributed throughout the world, with extensive latitudinal and longitudinal ranges.

Answer 2

The seeds of angiosperms are surrounded by the wall of the ovary of the flower which forms the fruit, while gymnosperms do not possess this structure.

Answer 3

You probably tempted to feel they're sperm cells that may leap bigger and swim quicker than so much different sperm, however correctly Gymnosperms (Gymnospermae) is a reputation for a organization of seed-bearing (and for this reason vascular) vegetation. The time period gymnosperm comes from the Greek phrase gumnospermos, actually that means "bare seed": that is when you consider that the seeds of those vegetation don't seem to be shaped in an ovule that's enclosed (and setting up right into a fruit, within the angiosperms), however bare at the scales of a cone or cone-like constitution. The creation of seeds distinguishes the gymnosperms (along side the angiosperms) from different contributors of the vascular vegetation. Thus in combination they're referred to as seed vegetation (Spermatophyta). Gymnosperms are heterosporous, generating microspores that expand into pollen grains and megaspores which might be retained in an ovule. After fertilization (becoming a member of of the micro- and megaspore), the ensuing embryo, along side different cells comprising the ovule, develops right into a seed. The seed is a sporophyte resting level. In early type schemes, the gymnosperms (Gymnospermae) "bare seed" vegetation had been viewed as a "average" organization. However, fossil reveals propose that the angiosperms advanced from a gymnosperm ancestor, which might make the gymnosperms a paraphyletic organization if all extinct taxa are integrated. Modern cladistics best accepts taxa which might be monophyletic, traceable to a usual ancestor and such as all descendants of that usual ancestor. So, even as the time period gymnosperm remains to be largely used for non-angiosperm seed-bearing vegetation, the plant species as soon as dealt with as gymnosperms are in most cases allotted amongst 4 agencies, which will accept same rank as divisions inside the Kingdom Plantae. These agencies are: Division Pinophyta – Conifers Division Ginkgophyta – Ginkgo Division Cycadophyta – Cycads Division Gnetophyta – Gnetum, Ephedra, Welwitschia With regard to extant gymnosperms, molecular phylogenies of dwelling taxa have conflicted with morphological datasets in regards to whether or not they include a monophyletic or paraphyletic organization with appreciate to angiosperms. At drawback is whether or not the Gnetophyta are the sister taxon to angiosperms, or whether or not they're sister to, or nested inside, different extant gymnosperms.

Answer 4

I think you may have a bigger problem than this if you think this comes under zoology!