Definition of Angiosperm vs Gymnosperm
Angiosperm
Angiosperms, also referred to as blooming plants, are a part of the Angiospermae, or Magnoliophyta, which is the biggest and most varied group in the plant kingdom. The fruit that forms from the ovary of a flower contains seeds, which is how angiosperms are distinguished.
Gymnosperm
The seeds of plants classified as gymnosperms are distinguished by the fact that they are not contained in ovaries or fruits. Originating from the Greek terms “gymnos,” which means “naked,” and “sperma,” which means “seed,” the name “gymnosperm” refers to the exposed aspect of their seeds.
Key Differences of Angiosperm vs Gymnosperm
Feature | Angiosperms | Gymnosperms | Examples (Angiosperms) | Examples (Gymnosperms) |
Seeds | contained within a fruit | uncovered or nude, and not protected by a fruit | Oak, Apple | Pine and Fir |
Flowers | Existing; promote procreation | Not present | Lily and Rose | None |
Fertilization | two fertilizations | only one fertilization | Tulip, Sunflower | Ginkgo, Cycad |
Leaves | wide, flat leaves | Leaves that resemble needles or scales | Mango, Maple | Cedar, Spruce |
Vascular Tissue | Sieve tubes in phloem, vessels in xylem | Sieve cells in phloem and tropheids in xylem | Wheat, Elm | Juniper and Sequoia |
Reproductive Structures | Fruits and flowers | Cones, both female and male | Orchid, Daisy | Cones of pine and fir |
Pollination | frequently by animals, sporadically by wind | mostly by wind | Pea, Strawberry | Larch, and Hemlock |
Seed Development | inside an ovary that gives rise to a fruit | directly on cones’ scales | Pear, Tomato | Cypress, Yew |
Diversity | Biodiversity (around 300,000 species) | Reduced (to about 1,000 species) | Cycas, Oak | Bamboo, Pine |
Habitat | incredibly varied environments | mostly in boreal and temperate forests | Grass, Cactus | Redwood, Pine |
Wood Type | Hardwood | Softwood | Walnut and Birch | Fir and Spruce |
Reproduction Cycle | Usually shorter | Usually lengthier | Poppy, Bluebell | Pine, Fir |
Cotyledons (Seed Leaves) | Usually one (monocots) or two (dicots) | Typically, two or more | Corn (monocot), Bean (dicot) | Pine and Ginkgo |
Root System | varied (fibrious, taproot) | mostly taproot | Taproot carrot, fibrous grass | Pine and Cycad |
Leaf Venation | parallel or reticulate like a net | primarily parallel | Lily (parallel), Rose (net-like) | Pine, Spruce |
Pollen Structure | Complicated | Simple | Apple, Lily | Pine, Fir |
Ovule Enclosure | confined inside an ovary | Not included | Cherry, Almond | Cypress, Ginkgo |
Primary Growth | large-scale initial growth | restricted main growth | Oak, Maple | Pine, Fir |
Secondary Growth | Currently, broad | Existing, although frequently restricted | Oak, Elm | Pine, Redwood |
Type of Fruit | Real fruits | Not a real fruit | Berry, Apple | None |
Resin Canals | Usually not present | Right now | None | Pine, Spruce |
Cambium | developed cambium vasculare | Varied cambium vascular less developed | Elm, Beech | Pine, Larch |
Gametophyte Dependence | Reliant on the sporophyte | less dependent on sporophyte | Tulip, Pea | Pine, Ginkgo |
Embryo Sac | 8-nucleate sac of embryos | many nuclei in archegonia | Wheat and Daisy | Pine, Cycad |
Stomata | improved stomatal control | less effective control of stomata | Apple, Banana | Pine, Fir |
Economic Importance | High economic worth (medication, food, etc.) | Economic value in the middle (wood, resin) | Wheat, Rice | Pine, Spruce |
Ecological Role | In most ecosystems, dominant | dominating in forests with conifers | Oak, Grass | Pine, Spruce |
Frequently Asked Question
1. What are the differences between angiosperms and gymnosperms with examples?
Another name for angiosperms is blooming plants. Within each ovary are seeds that are encased in tissue. It is often a fruit, however gymnosperms don’t have any flowers or fruits. Gymnosperm seeds are either “naked” or open on the outside of scales or leaves.
2. What are the main differences between a gymnosperm and angiosperm life cycle?
The female gametophyte is found on exposed bracts of the female cone in gymnosperms, but in angiosperms, it is contained in an enclosed structure called the ovule, which is located within the ovary. Gymnosperms do not undergo double fertilization, but angiosperms undergo this crucial stage in their lives.
3. Which character most differentiates angiosperms from gymnosperms?
angiosperms are also called as flowering plants. Seeds of angiosperms are enclosed in the ovary (usually a fruit). Gymnosperms do not have flowers or fruits. In gymnosperms, the ovules are not enclosed in an ovary.
4. What is the difference between male and female cones of gymnosperms?
The female cones are larger than the male cones and are positioned towards the top of the tree; the small, male cones are located in the lower region of the tree. Because the pollen is shed and blown by the wind, this arrangement makes it difficult for a gymnosperm to self-pollinate
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