Gymnosperm - wikipedia Gymnosperm Gymnosperms Temporal range : 370 -- 0 Ma PreЄ Є Pg Devonian - Present Various gymnosperms. Scientific classification Kingdom : Plantae Subkingdom : Embryophyta ( unranked ) : Gymnospermae ( paraphyletic ) Divisions Pinophyta ( or Coniferophyta ) - Conifers Ginkgophyta - Ginkgo Cycadophyta - Cycads Gnetophyta - Gnetum, Ephedra, Welwitschia Encephalartos sclavoi cone, about 30 cm long The gymnosperms are a group of seed - producing plants that includes conifers, cycads, Ginkgo, and gnetophytes. The term `` gymnosperm '' comes from the Greek composite word γυμνόσπερμος ( γυμνός gymnos, `` naked '' and σπέρμα sperma, `` seed '' ), meaning `` naked seeds ''. The name is based on the unenclosed condition of their seeds ( called ovules in their unfertilized state ). The non-encased condition of their seeds stands in contrast to the seeds and ovules of flowering plants ( angiosperms ), which are enclosed within an ovary. Gymnosperm seeds develop either on the surface of scales or leaves, which are often modified to form cones, or solitary as in Yew, Torreya, Ginkgo. The gymnosperms and angiosperms together compose the spermatophytes or seed plants. The gymnosperms are divided into six phyla. Organisms that belong to the Cycadophyta, Ginkgophyta, Gnetophyta, and Pinophyta ( also known as Coniferophyta ) phyla are still in existence while those in the Pteridospermales and Cordaitales phyla are now extinct. By far the largest group of living gymnosperms are the conifers ( pines, cypresses, and relatives ), followed by cycads, gnetophytes ( Gnetum, Ephedra and Welwitschia ), and Ginkgo biloba ( a single living species ). Roots in some genera have fungal association with roots in the form of mycorrhiza ( Pinus ), while in some others ( Cycas ) small specialised roots called coralloid roots are associated with nitrogen - fixing cyanobacteria. Contents 1 Classification 2 Diversity and origin 3 Uses 4 Life cycle 5 Genetics 6 References 7 External links Classification Further information : Spermatophyte In early classification schemes, the gymnosperms ( Gymnospermae ) were regarded as a `` natural '' group. There is conflicting evidence on the question of whether the living gymnosperms form a clade. The fossil record of gymnosperms includes many distinctive taxa that do not belong to the four modern groups, including seed - bearing trees that have a somewhat fern - like vegetative morphology ( the so - called `` seed ferns '' or pteridosperms. ) When fossil gymnosperms such as Bennettitales, Caytonia and the glossopterids are considered, it is clear that angiosperms are nested within a larger gymnosperm clade, although which group of gymnosperms is their closest relative remains unclear. For the most recent classification on extant gymnosperms see Christenhusz et al. ( 2011 ). There are 12 families, 83 known genera with a total of ca 1080 known species ( Christenhusz & Byng 2016 ). Subclass Cycadidae Order Cycadales Family Cycadaceae : Cycas Family Zamiaceae : Dioon, Bowenia, Macrozamia, Lepidozamia, Encephalartos, Stangeria, Ceratozamia, Microcycas, Zamia. Subclass Ginkgoidae Order Ginkgoales Family Ginkgoaceae : Ginkgo Subclass Gnetidae Order Welwitschiales Family Welwitschiaceae : Welwitschia Order Gnetales Family Gnetaceae : Gnetum Order Ephedrales Family Ephedraceae : Ephedra Subclass Pinidae Order Pinales Family Pinaceae : Cedrus, Pinus, Cathaya, Picea, Pseudotsuga, Larix, Pseudolarix, Tsuga, Nothotsuga, Keteleeria, Abies Order Araucariales Family Araucariaceae : Araucaria, Wollemia, Agathis Family Podocarpaceae : Phyllocladus, Lepidothamnus, Prumnopitys, Sundacarpus, Halocarpus, Parasitaxus, Lagarostrobos, Manoao, Saxegothaea, Microcachrys, Pherosphaera, Acmopyle, Dacrycarpus, Dacrydium, Falcatifolium, Retrophyllum, Nageia, Afrocarpus, Podocarpus Order Cupressales Family Sciadopityaceae : Sciadopitys Family Cupressaceae : Cunninghamia, Taiwania, Athrotaxis, Metasequoia, Sequoia, Sequoiadendron, Cryptomeria, Glyptostrobus, Taxodium, Papuacedrus, Austrocedrus, Libocedrus, Pilgerodendron, Widdringtonia, Diselma, Fitzroya, Callitris ( incl. Actinostrobus and Neocallitropsis ), Thujopsis, Thuja, Fokienia, Chamaecyparis, Callitropsis, Cupressus, Juniperus, Xanthocyparis, Calocedrus, Tetraclinis, Platycladus, Microbiota Family Taxaceae : Austrotaxus, Pseudotaxus, Taxus, Cephalotaxus, Amentotaxus, Torreya Diversity and origin There are more than 1000 extant or currently living species of gymnosperms in 88 plant genera belonging to 14 plant families. It is widely accepted that the gymnosperms originated in the late Carboniferous period, replacing the lycopsid rainforests of the tropical region. This appears to have been the result of a whole genome duplication event around 319 million years ago. Early characteristics of seed plants were evident in fossil progymnosperms of the late Devonian period around 383 million years ago. It has been suggested that during the mid-Mesozoic era, pollination of some extinct groups of gymnosperms was by extinct species of scorpionflies that had specialized proboscis for feeding on pollination drops. The scorpionflies likely engaged in pollination mutualisms with gymnosperms, long before the similar and independent coevolution of nectar - feeding insects on angiosperms. Evidence has also been found that mid-Mesozoic gymnosperms were pollinated by Kalligrammatid lacewings, a now - extinct genus with members which ( in an example of convergent evolution ) resembled the modern butterflies that arose far later. Zamia integrifolia, a cycad native to Florida Conifers are by far the most abundant extant group of gymnosperms with six to eight families, with a total of 65 - 70 genera and 600 - 630 species ( 696 accepted names ). Conifers are woody plants and most are evergreens. The leaves of many conifers are long, thin and needle - like, other species, including most Cupressaceae and some Podocarpaceae, have flat, triangular scale - like leaves. Agathis in Araucariaceae and Nageia in Podocarpaceae have broad, flat strap - shaped leaves. Cycads are the next most abundant group of gymnosperms, with two or three families, 11 genera, and approximately 338 species. A majority of cycads are native to tropical climates and are most abundantly found in regions near the equator. The other extant groups are the 95 - 100 species of Gnetales and one species of Ginkgo. Uses Gymnosperms have major economic uses. Pine, fir, spruce, and cedar are all examples of conifers that are used for lumber, paper production, and resin. Some other common uses for gymnosperms are soap, varnish, nail polish, food, gum, and perfumes. Life cycle Example of gymnosperm lifecycle Gymnosperms, like all vascular plants, have a sporophyte - dominant life cycle, which means they spend most of their life cycle with diploid cells, while the gametophyte ( gamete - bearing phase ) is relatively short - lived. Two spore types, microspores and megaspores, are typically produced in pollen cones or ovulate cones, respectively. Gametophytes, as with all heterosporous plants, develop within the spore wall. Pollen grains ( microgametophytes ) mature from microspores, and ultimately produce sperm cells. Megagametophytes develop from megaspores and are retained within the ovule. Gymnosperms produce multiple archegonia, which produce the female gamete. During pollination, pollen grains are physically transferred between plants from the pollen cone to the ovule. Pollen is usually moved by wind or insects. Whole grains enter each ovule through a microscopic gap in the ovule coat ( integument ) called the micropyle. The pollen grains mature further inside the ovule and produce sperm cells. Two main modes of fertilization are found in gymnosperms. Cycads and Ginkgo have motile sperm that swim directly to the egg inside the ovule, whereas conifers and gnetophytes have sperm with no flagella that are moved along a pollen tube to the egg. After syngamy ( joining of the sperm and egg cell ), the zygote develops into an embryo ( young sporophyte ). More than one embryo is usually initiated in each gymnosperm seed. The mature seed comprises the embryo and the remains of the female gametophyte, which serves as a food supply, and the seed coat. Genetics The first published sequenced genome for any gymnosperm was the genome of Picea abies in 2013. References ^ Jump up to : `` Gymnosperms on The Plant List ''. Theplantlist.org. Retrieved 2013 - 07 - 24. ^ Jump up to : Raven, P.H. ( 2013 ). Biology of Plants. New York : W.H. Freeman and Co. Jump up ^ Jeffrey D. Palmer ; Douglas E. Soltis ; Mark W. Chase ( 2004 ). `` The plant tree of life : an overview and some points of view ''. American Journal of Botany. 91 ( 10 ) : 1437 -- 1445. doi : 10.3732 / ajb. 91.10. 1437. PMID 21652302. Jump up ^ Stevens, P.F. `` Angiosperm Phylogeny Website - Seed Plant Evolution ''. Jump up ^ Hilton, Jason, and Richard M. Bateman. 2006. Pteridosperms are the backbone of seed - plant phylogeny. Journal of the Torrey Botanical Society 133 : 119 - 168 ( abstract ) Jump up ^ Christenhusz, M.J.M. ; Reveal, J.L. ; Farjon, A. ; Gardner, M.F. ; Mill, R.R. ; Chase, M.W. ( 2011 ). `` A new classification and linear sequence of extant gymnosperms '' ( PDF ). Phytotaxa. 19 : 55 -- 70. Jump up ^ Christenhusz, M.J.M. ; Byng, J.W. ( 2016 ). `` The number of known plants species in the world and its annual increase ''. Phytotaxa. Magnolia Press. 261 ( 3 ) : 201 -- 217. doi : 10.11646 / phytotaxa. 261.3. 1. Jump up ^ Sahney, S. ; Benton, M.J. & Falcon - Lang, H.J. ( 2010 ). `` Rainforest collapse triggered Pennsylvanian tetrapod diversification in Euramerica '' ( PDF ). Geology. 38 ( 12 ) : 1079 -- 1082. Bibcode : 2010Geo... 38.1079 S. doi : 10.1130 / G31182. 1. Jump up ^ Campbell and Reece ; Biology, Eighth edition Jump up ^ Jiao Y, Wickett NJ, Ayyampalayam S, Chanderbali AS, Landherr L, Ralph PE, Tomsho LP, Hu Y, Liang H, Soltis PS, Soltis DE, Clifton SW, Schlarbaum SE, Schuster SC, Ma H, Leebens - Mack J, Depamphilis CW ( 2011 ) Ancestral polyploidy in seed plants and angiosperms. Nature Jump up ^ Ollerton, J. ; Coulthard, E. ( 2009 ). `` Evolution of Animal Pollination ''. Science. 326 ( 5954 ) : 808 -- 809. doi : 10.1126 / science. 1181154. PMID 19892970. Jump up ^ Ren, D ; Labandeira, CC ; Santiago - Blay, JA ; Rasnitsyn, A ; et al. ( 2009 ). `` A Probable Pollination Mode Before Angiosperms : Eurasian, Long - Proboscid Scorpionflies ''. Science. 326 ( 5954 ) : 840 -- 847. doi : 10.1126 / science. 1178338. PMC 2944650. PMID 19892981. Jump up ^ Labandeira, Conrad C. ; Yang, Qiang ; Santiago - Blay, Jorge A. ; Hotton, Carol L. ; Monteiro, Antónia ; Wang, Yong - Jie ; Goreva, Yulia ; Shih, ChungKun ; Siljeström, Sandra ; Rose, Tim R. ; Dilcher, David L. ; Ren, Dong. `` The evolutionary convergence of mid-Mesozoic lacewings and Cenozoic butterflies ''. Proceedings of the Royal Society B : Biological Sciences. 283 ( 1824 ) : 20152893. doi : 10.1098 / rspb. 2015.2893. PMC 4760178. PMID 26842570. Jump up ^ Catalogue of Life : 2007 Annual checklist - Conifer database Archived January 15, 2009, at the Wayback Machine. Jump up ^ Campbell, Reece, `` Phylum Coniferophyta. '' Biology. 7th. 2005. Print. P. 595 Jump up ^ Walters, Dirk R Walters Bonnie By ( 1996 ). Vascular plant taxonomy. Dubuque, Iowa : Kendall / Hunt Pub. Co. p. 124. ISBN 978 - 0 - 7872 - 2108 - 9. Jump up ^ Nystedt, B ; Street, NR ; Wetterbom, A ; et al. ( May 2013 ). `` The Norway spruce genome sequence and conifer genome evolution ''. Nature. 497 : 579 -- 584. doi : 10.1038 / nature12211. PMID 23698360. External links Wikimedia Commons has media related to Gymnosperm. Gymnosperm Database Gymnosperms on the Tree of Life Albert Seward ( 1911 ). `` Gymnosperms ''. Encyclopædia Britannica ( 11th ed. ). Botany History of botany Subdisciplines Plant systematics Ethnobotany Paleobotany Plant anatomy Plant ecology Phytogeography Geobotany Flora Phytochemistry Plant pathology Bryology Phycology Floristics Dendrology Plant groups Algae Archaeplastida Bryophyte Non-vascular plants Vascular plants Spermatophytes Pteridophyte Gymnosperm Angiosperm Plant morphology ( glossary ) Plant cells Cell wall Phragmoplast Plastid Plasmodesma Vacuole Tissues Meristem Vascular tissue Vascular bundle Ground tissue Mesophyll Cork Wood Storage organs Vegetative Root Rhizoid Bulb Rhizome Shoot Stem Leaf Petiole Cataphyll Bud Sessility Reproductive ( Flower ) Flower development Inflorescence Umbel Raceme Bract Pedicellate Flower Whorl Floral symmetry Floral diagram Floral formula Receptacle Hypanthium ( Floral cup ) Perianth Tepal Petal Sepal Sporophyll Gynoecium Ovary Ovule Stigma Archegonium Androecium Stamen Staminode Pollen Tapetum Gynandrium Gametophyte Sporophyte Plant embryo Fruit Fruit anatomy Berry Capsule Seed Seed dispersal Endosperm Surface structures Epicuticular wax Plant cuticle Epidermis Stoma Nectary Trichome Prickle Plant physiology Materials Nutrition Photosynthesis Chlorophyll Plant hormone Transpiration Turgor pressure Bulk flow Aleurone Phytomelanin Sugar Sap Starch Cellulose Plant growth and habit Secondary growth Woody plants Herbaceous plants Habit Vines Lianas Shrubs Subshrubs Trees Succulent plants Reproduction Evolution Ecology Alternation of generations Sporangium Spore Microsporangia Microspore Megasporangium Megaspore Pollination Pollinators Pollen tube Double fertilization Germination Evolutionary development Evolutionary history timeline Hardiness zone Plant taxonomy History of plant systematics Herbarium Biological classification Botanical nomenclature Botanical name Correct name Author citation International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants ( ICN ) - for Cultivated Plants ( ICNCP ) Taxonomic rank International Association for Plant Taxonomy ( IAPT ) Plant taxonomy systems Cultivated plant taxonomy Citrus taxonomy cultigen cultivar Group grex Practice Agronomy Floriculture Forestry Horticulture Lists Related topics Botanical terms Botanists by author abbreviation Botanical expedition Portal WikiProject Classification of Archaeplastida / Plantae sensu lato Domain Archaea Bacteria Eukaryota ( Supergroup Plant Hacrobia Heterokont Alveolata Rhizaria Excavata Amoebozoa Opisthokonta Animal Fungi ) Rhodophyta ( red algae ) Cyanidiophyceae Porphyridiophyceae Compsopogonophyceae Stylonematophyceae Rhodellophyceae Bangiophyceae Florideophyceae Glaucocystophyta ( glaucophytes ) Glaucocystophyceae Glaucocystis Cyanophora Gloeochaete Viridiplantae ( green algae & land plants ) Chlorophyta Palmophyllales Nephroselmidophyceae Prasinophyceae Pseudoscourfieldiales Pyramimonadophyceae Scourfieldiales Pedinophyceae Chlorodendrophyceae UTC clade Ulvophyceae Trebouxiophyceae Chlorophyceae Streptophyta ( charophytes, & land plants ) Mesostigmatophyceae Chlorokybophyceae Klebsormidiophyceae Phragmo - plastophyta Charophyceae Coleochaetophyceae Zygnematophyceae Embryophyta ( land plants ) Bryophytes ( non-vascular ) Marchantiophyta Anthocerotophyta Bryophyta `` Moss '' † Horneophytopsida Tracheophyta ( vascular ) Lycopodiophyta ( microphylls ) † Zosterophyllopsida † Sawdoniales Isoetopsida Lycopodiopsida Euphyllophyta ( megaphylls ) Moniliformopses ( ferns ) † Cladoxylopsida † Stauropteridales † Zygopteridales Equisetopsida Psilotopsida Marattiopsida Filicopsida Spermatophyta ( seed plants ) † Seed ferns Gymnosperms Gnetopsida Pinopsida Cycadopsida Ginkgoopsida Angiosperms or flowering plants Amborellales Nymphaeales Austrobaileyales Magnoliids Monocots Eudicots Other † Trimerophytopsida † Progymnosperm Other † Rhyniopsida † = extinct. See also the list of plant orders. Nuts True, or botanical nuts Acorn Beech American beech European beech Breadnut Candlenut Chestnut Sweet chestnut Hazelnut American hazel Beaked hazel European hazel Filbert Asian hazel Johnstone River almond Kola nut Kurrajong Malabar chestnut Mongongo Palm nut Karuka Planted karuka Wild karuka Red bopple nut Yellow walnut Drupes Almond Australian cashew nut Betel nut Borneo tallow nut Breadfruit Cashew Chilean hazel Coconut Durian Gabon nut Hickory Mockernut hickory Pecan Shagbark hickory Shellbark hickory Irvingia gabonensis Jack nut Panda oleosa Pekea nut Pili nut Pistachio Walnut Black walnut Butternut English walnut Heartnut Gymnosperms Cycad Burrawang nut Ginkgo nut Araucaria spp. Bunya nut Monkey - puzzle nut Pine nut Chilgoza pine Colorado pinyon Korean pine Mexican pinyon Single - leaf pinyon Stone pine Angiosperms Brazil nut Macadamia Macadamia nut Queensland macadamia nut Paradise nut Peanut Peanut tree Soybean Taxon identifiers Wd : Q133712 EoL : 28872220 ITIS : 846506 Tropicos : 43000115 GND : 4129481 - 6 NDL : 00569301 Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Gymnosperm&oldid=820812101 '' Categories : Gymnosperms Plant taxonomy Extant Late Devonian first appearances Hidden categories : Webarchive template wayback links Articles with ' species ' microformats Wikipedia articles incorporating a citation from the 1911 Encyclopaedia Britannica with Wikisource reference Wikipedia articles with GND identifiers Talk Contents About Wikipedia Wikispecies Afrikaans Azərbaycanca বাংলা Bân - lâm - gú Башҡортса Беларуская Български Bosanski Català Čeština Dansk Deutsch Eesti Ελληνικά Español Esperanto Euskara فارسی Français Gaeilge Galego 한국어 हिन्दी Hrvatski Bahasa Indonesia Interlingua Italiano עברית Basa Jawa ქართული Қазақша Kreyòl ayisyen Кыргызча Latviešu Lietuvių Lumbaart Magyar Македонски മലയാളം Монгол Nāhuatl Nederlands 日本 語 Norsk Norsk nynorsk Occitan Олык марий ਪੰਜਾਬੀ پنجابی Polski Português Română Runa Simi Русский Scots Simple English Slovenčina Slovenščina Српски / srpski Srpskohrvatski / српскохрватски Suomi Svenska தமிழ் తెలుగు Türkçe Українська Tiếng Việt West - Vlams 中文 Edit links This page was last edited on 16 January 2018, at 19 : 19. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution - ShareAlike License ; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia ® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization. About Wikipedia

Question: the seed of a gymnosperm seed is made in the
Answer: either on the surface of scales or leaves; either on the surface of scales or leaves; either on the surface of scales or leaves, which are often modified to form cones, or solitary; the surface of scales or leaves