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Cone Bearing Vascular Plants
Spore producing plants need to make lots of spores to make sure that some of
the spores grow into new plants. Seed producing plants don’t need to make so
many seeds. The reason why, is that a seed has food inside the seed for the new
plant when it grows. This will help the plant until it can start making its own food.
Most vascular plants reproduce with seeds.
There are two types of vascular plants. One type produces seeds with no
protection. The other type has a fruit to protect it. Plants that make seeds with
no protection are called gymnosperms. The most common type of gymnosperms
are conifers or cone bearing plants such as pine trees.
Conifer Trees
Pine Tree
Cone
Most conifers make male and female cones on the same tree. Male cones make
pollen which has the male reproductive cells. Female cones have scales or woody
plates. Wind carries pollen to the female cones. There the pollen and female
cone unite or come together. The zygote then divides and grows into seeds.
During dry weather, the scales open and seeds are released or let go.
Questions
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What does a seed have that a spore does not have?
What kind of plants reproduce with spores?
What is pollen?
Name a type of conifer tree.
What are gymnosperms?