Plants are living beings capable of reproducing and colonizing large areas in a very short time. In addition to being able to produce their own food, thanks to the process we know as photosynthesis, they have developed, over thousands of years, a way to improve their reproduction and expansion across the earth's surface. Seed plants, also known as upper floors, are those that have undergone a greater evolutionary process.
In this article we will answer several crucial questions to understand well and in a simple way which plants have seeds, among other questions that may have arisen in relation to you. In addition, we have added a wide variety of examples so that you can appreciate the different types of seeds and their importance for the well-being of the planet and for our diet. Also, plants with seeds are still one of our main sources of energy. Don't you want to know a little more about them? We invite you to continue reading this article about the classification of seedlings and examples of these to improve your knowledge of botany with Green Ecologist.
What are seed plants and their characteristics
What are seed plants called and what characteristics do they have? "Plants with seeds" is the most common way of calling them, but their more technical names are spermatophyte plants or phanerogamic plants.
They are one of the most widespread plants on the planet, divided into more than 235,000 species. In addition, they are able to adapt more easily to any type of environment, including the aquatic environment. However, the first thing we must answer to understand what evolutionary advances seed plants present is to know what is a seed. In a simple way, we can define the seed as a mature ovule from which, once fertilized, a new plant will sprout. Depending on the type of seed, these can be kept dormant under specific conditions without the need to germinate and reactivate when conditions are suitable for optimal growth. We recommend you learn about the Parts of seeds and their functions with this other post.
Some characteristics of seed plants, in addition to its important presence on our planet and, therefore, its ability to adapt to very diverse climates and environments, is its vascular system. Through this, the plant more easily obtains the necessary nutrients for its development. In fact, plants with seeds have a much longer life span than other plants. Hence, the evolutionary advances of plants with seeds, stand out compared to other species without seeds, which are less developed. The appearance of vascular tissues not only favors the growth and development of the different species of plants with seeds, but has also managed to create additional structures to favor their dispersion and thus reduce competition between the rest of the seeds and even with the mother plant. In this way, the plants with seeds ensure the optimal development of the embryo.
Classification of seed plants
The types of plants with seeds They are classified into two large groups: angiosperms and gymnosperms.
Angiosperm plants
Angiosperms, a group to which the majority of terrestrial plants with no less than 250,000 specimens belong, are those that are characterized mainly by having the so-called true flowers and an axillary leaf located in the bract area known as the pedicel. Angiosperm seeds are enclosed and protected by carpels until it is pollinated, resulting in the fruit. In addition, within this group you will find not only herbaceous plants, but also shrubs and even arboreal ones. Similarly, angiosperms are subdivided according to the number of cotyledons in their seeds:
- Dicotyledons: those whose seeds are provided with two cotyledons that are located on each side of the embryo.
- Monocots: those that have a single embryonic leaf, or cotyledon, that completely envelops the seed.
Gymnosperm plants
Gymnosperm plants are characterized by having both the ovules and the seeds protected. They are usually woody plants such as trees and shrubs. They are also characterized by having simple, needle-like or needle-shaped leaves. However, their greatest characteristic is that they do not have true flowers.
As for the seeds of gymnosperms, it should be noted that some have a kind of wing-shaped membrane, known as samara, which allows and facilitates dispersal by the action of the wind. These seeds have a slow pollination and fertilization process compared to angiosperms. What's more, it can last for more than a year.
We also advise you to read this other Green Ecologist article in which we detail the Differences between angiosperms and gymnosperms.
Examples of plants with seeds
Next, we offer you a simple list where we have grouped, some names of plants with seeds, in several groups to differentiate them by their shape, structure and classification within angiosperms and gymnosperms.
Plants with grain seeds
- Panicum miliaceum or millet
- Sorghum or sorghum
- Hordeum vulgare or barley
- Dry cereal or rye
- Avena-sativa or oats
- Oryza sativa or rice
- Zea mays or corn
- Triticum spelta or spelled
- Triticum spp or wheat
Legume seed plants
- Vicia faba or broad bean
- Pisum sativum or pea
- Cucurbita maxima or pumpkin
- Phaseolus vulgaris or beans
- Pisum sativum or pea
- Lens culinaris or lentils
- Cicer arietinum or chickpeas
- Glycine max or soy
Angiosperm seed plantss
- Domestic malus or apple tree
- Mangif.webpera indica or mango
- Citrus × sinensis or orange tree
- Persea americana or avocado
- Solanum lycopersicum or tomato
Seeds with gymnosperm seeds
- Pinus pinea or stone pine
- Abies alba or fir
- Cupressus sempervirens or cypress
If you want to read more articles similar to Seed plants: classification and examples, we recommend that you enter our Biology category.
