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Seed Plants
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3. Seed Plants
Last Modified: Nov 09, 2021

LessonReviewAsked on FlexiRelated Content

Lesson

[Figure 1]

How old can a plant be?

This is obviously a seed plant. It is a Gingko tree, which is an unique species in that
there are no close living relatives. Gingkoes can live for a very long time. Some
specimens of this species are thought to be over 2,500 years old. The Ginkgo is also
known as a living fossil, with fossils related to modern Ginkgo from the Permian
period, dating back 270 million years.
Seed Plants

Seed plants are called spermatophytes. The evolution of seeds by vascular plants was
a very big deal. In fact, it was arguably as important as the evolution of vascular
tissues. Seeds solved the problem of releasing offspring into a dry world. Once seeds
evolved, vascular seed plants and their descendants diversified to fill terrestrial niches
everywhere. Today, vascular seed plants dominate Earth.
Parts of a Seed
As shown in Figure below, a seed consists of at least three basic parts:
the embryo, seed coat, and stored food.
 The embryo develops from a fertilized egg. While still inside the seed, the
embryo forms its first leaf (cotyledon) and starts to develop
a stem (hypocotyl) and root (radicle).
 The tough seed coat protects the embryo and keeps it from drying out until
conditions are favorable for germination.
 The stored food in a seed is called endosperm. It nourishes the embryo until
it can start making food on its own.

[Figure 2]

A typical plant seed, like this avocado seed, contains an embryo, seed coat, and
endosperm. How does each part contribute to the successful development of the new
plant?
Many seeds have additional structures that help them disperse. Some examples are
shown in Figure below. Structures may help them travel in the wind or stick
to animals. Dispersal of seeds away from parent plants helps reduce competition with
the parents and increases the chance of offspring surviving.

[Figure 3]

Dandelion seeds have tiny “parachutes.” Maple seeds have “wings” that act like little
gliders. Burdock seeds are covered with tiny hooks that cling to animal fur.
Classification of Seed Plants
The two major types of seed plants are the gymnosperms (seeds in cones)
and angiosperms (seeds in ovaries of flowers). Figure below shows how the seeds of
gymnosperms and angiosperms differ. Do you see the main difference between the
two seeds? The angiosperm seed is surrounded by an ovary.

[Figure 4]

In gymnosperms, a seed develops on the scale of a cone. Only an angiosperm seed

develops inside an ovary.
There are only about 1,000 living species of gymnosperms, whereas there are
hundreds of thousands of living species of angiosperms. Living gymnosperms are
typically classified in the divisions described in the Table below. Most modern
gymnosperms are trees with woody trunks. The majority are conifers such as pine
trees.
Division Description

There is only one living

species (Ginkgo biloba);
some living trees are
more than 2000 years
Ginkgoe old; they originated in
s Asia but now are
cultivated all over the
world; they have been
[Figure 5] used for medicines for
thousands of years.

There are more than 700

living species; most are
trees such as pines with
needle-like leaves; they
Conifers are often the dominant
plants in their habitats;
they are valuable to
humans for paper and
[Figure 6] timber.

There are about 300

living species; they are
typically trees with stout
trunks and fern-like
leaves; they live only
Cycads in tropical and
subtropical climates;
they have large, brightly-
colored seed cones to
[Figure 7] attract animal pollinators
.
 Division Description

There are fewer than 100

living species; most are
woody vines with
evergreen leaves; they
live mainly in tropical
Gnetae
climates; they are the
least well known
[Figure 8] gymnosperms but the
most similar to
angiosperms.

Evolution of Seed Plants

The earliest seed plants probably evolved close to 300 million years ago. They were
similar to modern ginkgoes and reproduced with pollen and seeds in cones. Early seed
plants quickly came to dominate forests during the Mesozoic Era, or Age of the
Dinosaurs, about 250 to 65 million years ago.
As seed plants continued to evolve, Earth’s overall climate became drier, so early seed
plants evolved adaptations to help them live with low levels of water. Some also
evolved adaptations to cold. They had woody trunks and needle-like, evergreen leaves
covered with a thick coating of waxy cuticle to reduce water loss. Some of the trees
were huge, like today’s giant sequoia, a modern conifer (see Figure below).

The person
standing at the foot of this giant sequoia shows just how enormous the tree is. Some
early seed plants also grew very large.
Eventually, some gymnosperms started to evolve angiosperm-like traits. For example,
cycad ancestors were the first plants to use insects as pollinators. They also
used birds and monkeys to disperse their brightly colored seeds. Of modern
gymnosperms, Gnetae probably share the most recent common ancestor with
angiosperms. Among other similarities, Gnetae produce nectar, a sweet,
sugary liquid that attracts insect pollinators. Most modern flowering plants also
produce nectar.

Summary

 Most vascular plants are seed plants, or spermatophytes. They reproduce

with seeds and pollen.
 Some modern seed plants are gymnosperms that produce seeds in cones.

Review

1. Identify the parts of a seed and the role of each part.

2. Name and describe the divisions of gymnosperms.

Resources

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Image Attributions

Asked by Students
Here are the top questions that students are asking Flexi for this concept:
How are angiosperms like gymnosperms?
What groups of plants have seeds?
Which characteristic gave gymnosperms and angiosperms an evolutionary advantage over other
land plants?

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 Biology for Majors II

Module 7: Plant Diversity

Evolution of Seed Plants

LEARNING OUTCOMES

 Describe the evolutionary history of seed plants

The first plants to colonize land were most likely related to the ancestors of modern day
mosses (bryophytes), which are thought to have appeared about 500 million years ago.
They were followed by liverworts (also bryophytes) and primitive vascular plants—the
pterophytes—from which modern ferns are descended. The life cycle of bryophytes and
pterophytes is characterized by the alternation of generations, which is also exhibited in
the gymnosperms and angiosperms. However, what sets bryophytes and pterophytes
apart from gymnosperms and angiosperms is their reproductive requirement for water.
The completion of the bryophyte and pterophyte life cycle requires water because the
male gametophyte releases flagellated sperm, which must swim to reach and fertilize
the female gamete or egg. After fertilization, the zygote undergoes cellular division and
grows into a diploid sporophyte, which in turn will form sporangia or “spore vessels.” In
the sporangia, mother cells undergo meiosis and produce the haploid spores. Release
of spores in a suitable environment will lead to germination and a new generation of
gametophytes.
In seed plants, the evolutionary trend led to a dominant sporophyte generation
accompanied by a corresponding reduction in the size of the gametophyte from a
conspicuous structure to a microscopic cluster of cells enclosed in the tissues of the
sporophyte. Whereas lower vascular plants, such as club mosses and ferns, are
mostly homosporous (producing only one type of spore), all seed plants, or
spermatophytes, are heterosporous, producing two types of spores: megaspores
(female) and microspores (male). Megaspores develop into female gametophytes that
produce eggs, and microspores mature into male gametophytes that generate sperm.
Because the gametophytes mature within the spores, they are not free-living, as are the
gametophytes of other seedless vascular plants.
Ancestral heterosporous seedless plants, represented by modern-day plants such as
the spike moss Selaginella, are seen as the evolutionary forerunners of seed plants. In
the life cycle of Selaginella, both male and female sporangia develop within the same
stem-like strobilus. In each male sporangium, multiple microspores are produced by
meiosis. Each microspore produces a small antheridium contained within a spore case.
As it develops it is released from the strobilus, and a number of flagellated sperm are
produced that then leave the spore case. In the female sporangium, a single megaspore
mother cell undergoes meiosis to produce four megaspores. Gametophytes develop
within each megaspore, consisting of a mass of tissue that will later nourish the embryo
and a few archegonia. The female gametophyte may remain within remnants of the
spore wall in the megasporangium until after fertilization has occurred and the embryo
begins to develop. This combination of an embryo and nutritional cells is a little different
from the organization of a seed, since the nutritive endosperm in a seed is formed from
a single cell rather than multiple cells.
Both seeds and pollen distinguish seed plants from seedless vascular plants. These
innovative structures allowed seed plants to reduce or eliminate their dependence on
water for gamete fertilization and development of the embryo, and to conquer dry land.
Pollen grains are male gametophytes, which contain the sperm (gametes) of the plant.
The small haploid (1n) cells are encased in a protective coat that prevents desiccation
(drying out) and mechanical damage. Pollen grains can travel far from their original
sporophyte, spreading the plant’s genes. Seeds offer the embryo protection,
nourishment, and a mechanism to maintain dormancy for tens or even thousands of
years, ensuring that germination can occur when growth conditions are optimal. Seeds
therefore allow plants to disperse the next generation through both space and time.
With such evolutionary advantages, seed plants have become the most successful and
familiar group of plants.
Both adaptations expanded the colonization of land begun by the bryophytes and their
ancestors. Fossils place the earliest distinct seed plants at about 350 million years ago.
The first reliable record of gymnosperms dates their appearance to the Pennsylvanian
period, about 319 million years ago (Table 1). Gymnosperms were preceded by
progymnosperms, the first naked seed plants, which arose about 380 million years
ago. Progymnosperms were a transitional group of plants that superficially resembled
conifers (cone bearers) because they produced wood from the secondary growth of the
vascular tissues; however, they still reproduced like ferns, releasing spores into the
environment. At least some species were heterosporous. Progymnosperms, like the
extinct Archaeopteris (not to be confused with the ancient bird Archaeopteryx),
dominated the forests of the late Devonian period. However, by the early (Triassic, c.
240 MYA) and middle (Jurassic, c. 205 MYA) Mesozoic era, the landscape was
dominated by the true gymnosperms. Angiosperms surpassed gymnosperms by the
middle of the Cretaceous (c. 100 MYA) in the late Mesozoic era, and today are the most
abundant and biologically diverse plant group in most terrestrial biomes.
Table 1. Geologic Timescale[1]

Start,
Eon Era Period
MYA

Phanerozoi Cenozoic Quaternary 1.6

c

Neogene 23
Table 1. Geologic Timescale[1]

Start,
Eon Era Period
MYA

Paleogene 66

Cretaceous 145

Mesozoic Jurassic 201

Triassic 252

Permian 298

Carboniferous 360

Devonian 419
Paleozoic
Silurian 444

Ordovician 485

Cambrian 540

Late Proterozoic
Proterozoic Middle Proterozoic 2500
Early Proterozoic

Late Archean
Archean Middle Archean 4000
Early Archean

Pre-Archean ~4600
Evolution of Gymnosperms

Figure 1. This fossilized leaf is from Glossopteris, a seed fern that thrived during the Permian age (290–
240 million years ago). (credit: D.L. Schmidt, USGS)
The fossil plant Elkinsia polymorpha, a “seed fern” from the Devonian period—about
400 million years ago—is considered the earliest seed plant known to date. Seed ferns
(Figure 1) produced their seeds along their branches, in structures called cupules that
enclosed and protected the ovule—the female gametophyte and associated tissues—
which develops into a seed upon fertilization. Seed plants resembling modern tree ferns
became more numerous and diverse in the coal swamps of the Carboniferous period.

Fossil records indicate the first gymnosperms (progymnosperms) most likely originated
in the Paleozoic era, during the middle Devonian period: about 390 million years ago.
The previous Mississippian and Pennsylvanian periods, were wet and dominated by
giant fern trees. But the following Permian period was dry, which gave a reproductive
edge to seed plants, which are better adapted to survive dry spells.

Figure 2. This boreal forest (taiga) has low-lying plants and conifer trees. (credit: L.B. Brubaker, NOAA)
The Ginkgoales, a group of gymnosperms with only one surviving species—the Ginkgo
biloba—were the first gymnosperms to appear during the lower Jurassic. Gymnosperms
expanded in the Mesozoic era (about 240 million years ago), supplanting ferns in the
landscape, and reaching their greatest diversity during this time. The Jurassic period
was as much the age of the cycads (palm-tree-like gymnosperms) as the age of the
dinosaurs. Ginkgoales and the more familiar conifers also dotted the landscape.
Although angiosperms (flowering plants) are the major form of plant life in most biomes,
gymnosperms still dominate some ecosystems, such as the taiga (boreal forests) and
the alpine forests at higher mountain elevations (Figure 2) because of their adaptation
to cold and dry growth conditions.

Seeds and Pollen as an Evolutionary Adaptation to Dry Land

Figure 3. This fossilized pollen is from a Buckbean fen core found in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming. The
pollen is magnified 1,054 times. (credit: R.G. Baker, USGS; scale-bar data from Matt Russell)
Bryophyte and fern spores are haploid cells dependent on moisture for rapid
development of multicellular gametophytes. In the seed plants, the female gametophyte
consists of just a few cells: the egg and some supportive cells, including the
endosperm-producing cell that will support the growth of the embryo. After fertilization of
the egg, the diploid zygote produces an embryo that will grow into the sporophyte when
the seed germinates. Storage tissue to sustain growth of the embryo and a protective
coat give seeds their superior evolutionary advantage. Several layers of hardened
tissue prevent desiccation, and free the embryo from the need for a constant supply of
water. Furthermore, seeds remain in a state of dormancy—induced by desiccation and
the hormone abscisic acid—until conditions for growth become favorable. Whether
blown by the wind, floating on water, or carried away by animals, seeds are scattered in
an expanding geographic range, thus avoiding competition with the parent plant.
Pollen grains (Figure 3)are male gametophytes containing just a few cells and are
distributed by wind, water, or an animal pollinator. The whole structure is protected from
desiccation and can reach the female organs without depending on water. After
reaching a female gametophyte, the pollen grain grows a tube that will deliver a male
nucleus to the egg cell. The sperm of modern gymnosperms and all angiosperms lack
flagella, but in cycads, Ginkgo, and other primitive gymnosperms, the sperm are still
motile, and use flagella to swim to the female gamete; however, they are delivered to
the female gametophyte enclosed in a pollen grain. The pollen grows or is taken into a
fertilization chamber, where the motile sperm are released and swim a short distance to
an egg.

Evolution of Angiosperms

The roughly 200 million years between the appearance of the gymnosperms and the
flowering plants gives us some appreciation for the evolutionary experimentation that
ultimately produced flowers and fruit. Angiosperms (“seed in a vessel”) produce a flower
containing male and/or female reproductive structures. Fossil evidence (Figure 4)
indicates that flowering plants first appeared about 125 million years ago in the Lower
Cretaceous (late in the Mesozoic era), and were rapidly diversifying by about 100 million
years ago in the Middle Cretaceous. Earlier traces of angiosperms are scarce.
Fossilized pollen recovered from Jurassic geological material has been attributed to
angiosperms. A few early Cretaceous rocks show clear imprints of leaves resembling
angiosperm leaves. By the mid-Cretaceous, a staggering number of diverse flowering
plants crowd the fossil record. The same geological period is also marked by the
appearance of many modern groups of insects, suggesting that pollinating insects
played a key role in the evolution of flowering plants.
Figure 4. This leaf imprint shows a Ficus speciosissima, an angiosperm that flourished during the Cretaceous
period. (credit: W. T. Lee, USGS)
New data in comparative genomics and paleobotany (the study of ancient plants) have
shed some light on the evolution of angiosperms. Although the angiosperms appeared
after the gymnosperms, they are probably not derived from gymnosperm ancestors.
Instead, the angiosperms form a sister clade (a species and its descendents) that
developed in parallel with the gymnosperms. The two innovative structures of flowers
and fruit represent an improved reproductive strategy that served to protect the embryo,
while increasing genetic variability and range. There is no current consensus on the
origin of the angiosperms. Paleobotanists debate whether angiosperms evolved from
small woody bushes, or were related to the ancestors of tropical grasses. Both views
draw support from cladistics, and the so-called woody magnoliid hypothesis—which
proposes that the early ancestors of angiosperms were shrubs like modern magnolia—
also offers molecular biological evidence.
The most primitive living angiosperm is considered to be Amborella trichopoda, a small
plant native to the rainforest of New Caledonia, an island in the South Pacific. Analysis
of the genome of A. trichopoda has shown that it is related to all existing flowering
plants and belongs to the oldest confirmed branch of the angiosperm family tree. The
nuclear genome shows evidence of an ancient whole-genome duplication. The
mitochondrial genome is large and multichromosomal, containing elements from the
mitochondrial genomes of several other species, including algae and a moss. A few
other angiosperm groups, called basal angiosperms, are viewed as having ancestral
traits because they branched off early from the phylogenetic tree. Most modern
angiosperms are classified as either monocots or eudicots, based on the structure of
their leaves and embryos. Basal angiosperms, such as water lilies, are considered more
ancestral in nature because they share morphological traits with both monocots and
eudicots.

Flowers and Fruits as an Evolutionary Adaptation

Angiosperms produce their gametes in separate organs, which are usually housed in a
flower. Both fertilization and embryo development take place inside an anatomical
structure that provides a stable system of sexual reproduction largely sheltered from
environmental fluctuations. With about 300,000 species, flowering plants are the most
diverse phylum on Earth after insects, which number about 1,200,000 species. Flowers
come in a bewildering array of sizes, shapes, colors, smells, and arrangements. Most
flowers have a mutualistic pollinator, with the distinctive features of flowers reflecting the
nature of the pollination agent. The relationship between pollinator and flower
characteristics is one of the great examples of coevolution.

Following fertilization of the egg, the ovule grows into a seed. The surrounding tissues
of the ovary thicken, developing into a fruit that will protect the seed and often ensure its
dispersal over a wide geographic range. Not all fruits develop completely from an ovary;
such “false fruits” or pseudocarps, develop from tissues adjacent to the ovary. Like
flowers, fruit can vary tremendously in appearance, size, smell, and taste. Tomatoes,
green peppers, corn, and avocados are all examples of fruits. Along with pollen and
seeds, fruits also act as agents of dispersal. Some may be carried away by the wind.
Many attract animals that will eat the fruit and pass the seeds through their digestive
systems, then deposit the seeds in another location. Cockleburs are covered with stiff,
hooked spines that can hook into fur (or clothing) and hitch a ride on an animal for long
distances. The cockleburs that clung to the velvet trousers of an enterprising Swiss
hiker, George de Mestral, inspired his invention of the loop and hook fastener he named
Velcro.
BUILDING PHYLOGENETIC TREES WITH ANALYSIS OF DNA SEQUENCE
ALIGNMENTS

All living organisms display patterns of relationships derived from their evolutionary history.
Phylogeny is the science that describes the relative connections between organisms, in terms of
ancestral and descendant species. Phylogenetic trees, such as the plant evolutionary history
shown in Figure 5, are tree-like branching diagrams that depict these relationships. Species are
found at the tips of the branches. Each branching point, called a node, is the point at which a
single taxonomic group (taxon), such as a species, separates into two or more species.
Figure 5. This phylogenetic tree shows the evolutionary relationships of plants.

Phylogenetic trees have been built to describe the relationships between species since the first
sketch of a tree that appeared in Darwin’s Origin of Species. Traditional methods involve
comparison of homologous anatomical structures and embryonic development, assuming that
closely related organisms share anatomical features that emerge during embryo development.
Some traits that disappear in the adult are present in the embryo; for example, an early human
embryo has a postanal tail, as do all members of the Phylum Chordata. The study of fossil
records shows the intermediate stages that link an ancestral form to its descendants. However,
many of the approaches to classification based on the fossil record alone are imprecise and
lend themselves to multiple interpretations. As the tools of molecular biology and computational
analysis have been developed and perfected in recent years, a new generation of tree-building
methods has taken shape. The key assumption is that genes for essential proteins or RNA
structures, such as the ribosomal RNAs, are inherently conserved because mutations (changes
in the DNA sequence) could possibly compromise the survival of the organism. DNA from
minute samples of living organisms or fossils can be amplified by polymerase chain
reaction (PCR) and sequenced, targeting the regions of the genome that are most likely to be
conserved between species. The genes encoding the 18S ribosomal RNA from the small
subunit and plastid genes are frequently chosen for DNA alignment analysis.

Once the sequences of interest are obtained, they are compared with existing sequences in
databases such as GenBank, which is maintained by The National Center for Biotechnology
Information. A number of computational tools are available to align and analyze sequences.
Sophisticated computer analysis programs determine the percentage of sequence identity or
homology. Sequence homology can be used to estimate the evolutionary distance between two
DNA sequences and reflect the time elapsed since the genes separated from a common
ancestor. Molecular analysis has revolutionized phylogenetic trees. In some cases, prior results
from morphological studies have been confirmed: for example, confirming Amborella
trichopoda as the most primitive angiosperm known. However, some groups and relationships
have been rearranged as a result of DNA analysis.
IN SUMMARY: EVOLUTION OF SEED PLANTS

Seed plants appeared about one million years ago, during the Carboniferous period. Two major
innovations—seed and pollen—allowed seed plants to reproduce in the absence of water. The
gametophytes of seed plants shrank, while the sporophytes became prominent structures and
the diploid stage became the longest phase of the lifecycle. Gymnosperms became the
dominant group during the Triassic. In these, pollen grains and seeds protect against
desiccation. The seed, unlike a spore, is a diploid embryo surrounded by storage tissue and
protective layers. It is equipped to delay germination until growth conditions are optimal.
Angiosperms bear both flowers and fruit. The structures protect the gametes and the embryo
during its development. Angiosperms appeared during the Mesozoic era and have become the
dominant plant life in terrestrial habitats.
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Home > Biology > Anatomy of Flowering Plants > The Seed

Anatomy of Flowering Plants

The Seed
The seed in a plant is the part that develops from the ovules after fertilization. They are
enclosed in the fruit which develops from the fertilized ovary. The seeds are formed as
a result of sexual reproduction and contain the young embryo which can develop into a
new plant. Let’s learn more.

Table of content

1 Suggested Videos

2 Structure of a Seed

3 Functions of Seeds
4 Dispersion of Seeds

4.1 Dispersion by Wind

4.2 Dispersion by Animals

4.3 Dispersion by Water

4.4 Dispersion due to Explosion/Expulsion

5 Solved Example for You

Suggested Videos

Flower and Fruit

Classifications of Plants

Sexual Reproduction in Flowering Plants

Anatomy of Monocot and Dicot Roots

Structure of a Seed
Seeds of different plants may vary in many ways, but the basic anatomy remains the
same. A typical seed consists of the following parts:

Source: Google

 Tesla: It is the outer coat of the seed that protects the embryonic plant.

 Micropyle: It is a tiny pore in the testa that lies on the opposite of the tip of
the radicle. It permits water to enter the embryo before active
germination.

 Hilum: Is a scar left by the stalk which attached the ovule to the ovary wall
before it became a seed.

 Cotyledon: In some plants, this contains high quantities of starch and will
provide a source of food for the developing embryo prior to germination, in
other plants this role is performed by an endosperm. In monocotyledons,
there is just one cotyledon whereas in dicotyledons there are two.
Depending on the type of germination (epigeous or hypogeous) the
cotyledons may remain below ground or be pulled above ground.
  Radicle: This is the embryonic root which will develop into the
primary root of the plant. It is usually the first part of the embryo to push
its way out of the seed during germination.

 Plumule: This is the embryonic shoot. It appears as a bud which will give
rise to the shoot and the remaining structures in the plant.

 Endosperm: In many plants, a separate part for storage of starch develops

and this is called the endosperm. It is seen in maize and wheat.
Learn more about Stem Structure here in detail.

Functions of Seeds
The seeds perform the following functions:

i. They help in germination of the new plant.

ii. The seeds contain food reservoirs in the form of cotyledons and
endosperm.

iii. The seed coat is protective in nature which protects the embryo inside.
Dispersion of Seeds
Dispersion is defined as the scattering or transport of seeds from one place to another
by means of a dispersing agent. It can occur by four modes:

 Wind

 Water

 Animals

 Explosion
Dispersion by Wind

The seeds that are dispersed by wind are generally light and small such that they can
be easily carried away by the wind. Example: cotton seeds
Source: Google([Link])

Dispersion by Animals

These seeds have external structures such as spines or hooks such that they can attach
themselves to animals and get dispersed to other places. These seeds are generally
attractive and so are their fruits. Example: Guava seeds, dates.

Dispersion by Water

These seeds have a structure, generally, hollow such that they can easily float on water.
Once they reach a place where the conditions are suitable, they germinate. Example:
Mangroves.
Source: Google

Dispersion due to Explosion/Expulsion

Some plants fling or throw their seeds out once the fruit has ripened. This explosion
occurs as a result of evaporation of water from the pods. Once the pods dry out, they
expel the seeds which are then carried by wind or gravity to other places where they
germinate. Example: Viola
Source: Pinterest

Solved Example for You

Q: Which of the following parts does the seed develop from?

(a) Ovary (b) Embryo

(c) Embryo sac (d) Ovule

Sol. (d) Ovule

Once fertilization occurs, the ovary starts maturing and eventually develops into the
fruit and the ovules contained in them become the seeds.

B ROW S E
Anatomy of Flowering Plants

 Plant Tissues
 Tissue System
 The Fruit
 The Seed
 Secondary Growth
 Stem: Functions, Structure, and Types
 Leaf
 Inflorescence
 Flower
 Anatomy of Dicotyledonous and Monocotyledonous Plants

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Arvind Singh

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4y

Spermatophytes produce seeds while bryophytes do not produce seeds.

Spermatophytes are non-thalloid plants (i.e. plant body is distinguished into roots, leaves and
stems) while bryophytes are thalloid plants (i.e. plant body is not distinguished into roots, stem
and leaves).

Spermatophytes are vascular plants while bryophytes are non-vascular plants.

Saprophytic phase is dominant in life cycle of spermatophytes while gametophytic phase is
dominant in life cycle of bryophytes.

Spermatophytes have gametic meiosis while bryophytes have sporic meiosis.

Spermatophytes do not need water for the act of fertilization while bryophytes need water for the
act of fertilization.
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John Maiko

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High School Teacher at Teachers Service Commission (2007–present)Updated 3y

Spermatophytes are flowering plants (seed bearing plants) while bryophytes are non flowering
plants(non seed bearing plants)

Spermatophytes have roots,stems and leaves while bryophytes have root like,stem like,leave like
organs
Spermatophytes leaves have cuticle while bryophytes leave like lacks cuticle therefore easily dry
up(live in damp shady places)

Spermatophytes have elaborate transport systems with xylem vessels and phloem tissue with
companion cells while Bryophytes lack transport systems

Spermatophytes mainly reproduce sexually and asexual reproduction while bryophytes have only
asexually reproduction

Spermatophytes have alterations of generation with sporophyte(female)generation dominant

while bryophytes have alterations of generation with gametophyte(male) generation dominant

Spermatophytes are non thylloid plants while bryophytes are thylloid plants which live in colony

Spermatophytes don't require water for fertilization to take place while bryophytes require water
for fertilization to take place

Examples of spermatophytes include all monocots and dicots while examples of bryophytes
include mosses and liverworts
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Ahmed Shah

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