Unit 9: Plants                                                                1   2   3   4   5   6

2.2. Seed plants: Spermatophytes

Spermatophytes are divided into two groups:

Gymnosperms (conifers) and Angiosperms (flowering plants).

Both reproduce by seeds but only Angiosperms make a fruit,

which protect the seed inside itself.

a) Gymnosperms (conifers)

     - They are woody plants, mainly trees.

     - Most are evergreen. They have perennial leaves,

       which is they keep them all the year.

     - Leaves can be acicular (needle like) or scale-leaf (scale like).

     - Their flowers are little and without petals.

       They form inflorescences called pine cones.

     - They are mainly unisexual and with separate sexes.

       There are male and females plants.

     - They produce naked seeds, without a fruit.

In the past, gymnosperms were more widely distributed but today they are

reduced to cold latitudes and mountains where they form forests.

Some examples of gymnosperms are firs, cedars, pines, cypresses and junipers.

b) Angiosperms (flowering plants)

- They are woody plants (trees and shrubs) and herbaceous plants

  (forbs and grasses).

- They have deciduous leaves, which is they lose them during part

  of the year.

- Leaves can have different shapes and sizes.

- Flowers can be large, fragrant and bright coloured or not. They can form

  inflorescences or be alone.

- They are mainly hermaphrodites, with both sexual organs in the same

  flower.

- They produce seeds which are inside a fruit.

Nowadays they are the most important group of plants and they are distributed

all around the world.

Some examples of angiosperms are almond tree, rosebush and corn.

2.2. Answer the following questions about seed plants (Spermatophytes):

a. What difference is there between evergreen and deciduous plants?

b. Which does it mean that Gymnosperms produce bare seeds?

c. How are Gymnosperms’ inflorescences called?

2.3. Relate each sentence with the group of Spermatophytes

        that it belongs to:

a. Some of them are herbaceous plants, forbs or grasses………

b. They have deciduous leaves…………..............................…

c. They are mainly hermaphrodites………………………......………..…

d. Their flowers are usually coloured and fragrant………………….

e. They produce seed inside a fruit, that protect it……………….

2.4. Listen and indicate what group of Spermatophytes is  described: