Sexual Plant Reproduction
Plant reproduction is the process by which plants generate offspring. The way plants reproduce is a very fascinating process. Reproduction can be sexual or asexual. Plants that reproduce sexually are divided into two types: angiosperms and gymnosperms.
Angiosperms
- They are flowering plants.
- Each flower holds the plant´s reproductive organs.
- The seeds form inside the flowers.
- Pollination is required for fertilizaron and the production of seeds.
Deozxyribonucleic acid (DNA): Moleculels of all living organisms which contain and transfer hereditary characteristcs.
The biggest flower in the world!
Gymnosperms
They are plants that habe not developed the ability to make flowers.
How do they reproduce?
- They produce male and female reproductive cells in separate male and female cones.
- The cone is the reproductive structure of conifers.
- Conifers are the largest division of gymnosperms.
- Most are trees and shrubs, which have green leaves all the year round.
The most popular conifers are pine trees. Millions of pines are cultivated for Christmas every year.
How do conifers produce seeds?
All pine trees reproduce through seeds that are produced inside the female pine cones. which conain the ovules. The female cone is much larger than the small male cone.
The male cones, which produce pollen, grow high in the trees, and the female cones grow in lower branches.
Wind and gravity carry the pollen to contact with the sticky surface of a female cone for pollination to occur.
Once some pollen reache the female cones, the scales close up to facilitate fertilization.
When conditions are right, female pinecones open.
Flying seeds of Gymnosperms
As opposed to angiosperm plants, whose seeds are contained inside a fruit, the seeds of gymnosperms are between the scales cones.
Do seeds fly?
The seeds of gymnosperms have "wings." These wings are light enough to be carried off in the wind, when the female cone opens to liberate them. The seeds fly to hospirable places and grow into a new plant.
Did you know? Fertilization occurs a year after pollination!
Have you ever eaten conifer seeds?
Did you ever imagine that pine nuts are acually the seeds of about 20 species of pines?
They are rich in protein!
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