EVERYDAY SCIENCE

Detailed explanation-1: -Coniferophyta. These are the most commonly known species among the gymnosperm family. They are evergreen; hence they do not shed their leaves in the winter. These are mainly characterised by male and female cones which form needle-like structures.

Detailed explanation-2: -The female cone (megastrobilus, seed cone, or ovulate cone) contains ovules which, when fertilized by pollen, become seeds. The female cone structure varies more markedly between the different conifer families, and is often crucial for the identification of many species of conifers.

Detailed explanation-3: -Most gymnosperms produce seeds in structures called cones or strobili (singular strobilus; Figure 8.1. 2). Cones evolved from modified leaves, and they can either be male cones that produce pollen, or female cones that produce ovules.

Detailed explanation-4: -The seed is the embryonic stage of the plant life cycle. Most seeds consist of three parts: embryo, endosperm, and seed coat. The embryo is a tiny plant that has a root, a stem, and one or more leaves. The endosperm is the nutritive tissue of the seed, often a combination of starch, oil, and protein.

Detailed explanation-5: -This pinnate leaf form is not found in any other gymnosperms. cycads are dioecious, meaning that there are separate male plants that produce pollen cones and female plants that produce seed cones. The cones of cycads are typically large, with many fertile, leaflike organs (sporophylls) that are aggregated into cones.