Part 3 Growth, Reproduction, and Evolution-Gymnosperms and Angiosperms

Two main categories of plants exist on the Earth today: gymnosperms and angiosperms. Gymnosperms do not have flowers or ovaries and produce “naked” seeds, or seeds not enclosed in fruit. Instead of fruit, gymnosperms produce seeds on the surfaces of their leaf tissue that then clump together and form a cone. Examples of gymnosperms are pine, fir, and conifer trees. On the other hand, angiosperms, which compromise 85% of the Plant Kingdom, are flowering plants that develop their seeds within enclosed ovaries. After maturing, these ovaries become fruit. Although a number of essential oils are derived from gymnosperms, the majority of them come from angiosperms.