Gymnosperm
| Gymnosperm | |
|---|---|
| |
| Conifers, includin the pines an relatit trees an shrubs, is a major diveesion o gymnosperms. | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kinrick: | Plantae |
| Subkinrick: | Embryophyta |
| (unranked): | Gymnospermae (paraphyletic) |
| Diveesions | |
|
Pinophyta (or Coniferophyta) - Conifers | |
The gymnosperms is a group o seed-producin plants that includes conifers, cycads, Ginkgo, an Gnetales. The term "gymnosperm" comes frae the Greek wird gymnospermos (γυμνόσπερμος), meanin "naked seeds", efter the unenclosed condeetion o thair seeds (cried ovules in thair unfertilized state). Thair naked condeetion stauns in contrast tae the seeds an ovules o flouerin plants (angiosperms), that is enclosed athin an ovary. Gymnosperm seeds develop aither on the surface o scales or leafs, aften modified tae form cones, or at the end o short stalks as in Ginkgo.
The gymnosperms an angiosperms thegither compone the spermatophytes or seed plants. Bi far the lairgest group o livin gymnosperms is the conifers (pines, cypresses, an relatives), follaed bi cycads, Gnetophytes (Gnetum, Ephedra an Welwitschia), an Ginkgo (a single livin species).
