AP BIOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -Inside female cones, female spores develop into female gametophytes. Each female gametophyte produces an egg inside an ovule. Pollination occurs when pollen is transferred from a male to female cone. If sperm then travel from the pollen to an egg so fertilization can occur, a diploid zygote results.

Detailed explanation-2: -The woody cone is the female cone, which produces seeds. The male cone, which produces pollen, is usually herbaceous and much less conspicuous even at full maturity. The name “cone” derives from Greek konos (pine cone), which also gave name to the geometric cone. The individual plates of a cone are known as scales.

Detailed explanation-3: -Male cones give rise to microspores, which produce pollen grains, while female cones give rise to megaspores, which produce ovules.

Detailed explanation-4: -Over a two to three year period after fertilization, the woody female pine cone develops. In some species, the cones open at maturity and the seeds are released. In others the cones remain closed for several years until opened by rotting, by food-seeking animals, or by fire.

Detailed explanation-5: -Female pine cones use their woody structure to keep their seeds safe. They keep their seeds safe so the seeds can hopefully be pollinated and grow. Each female pine cone has numerous spirally arranged scales, with two seeds on each fertile scale. Male pine cones produce pollen, which is like a powder.