What is the reproductive system of a gymnosperm?

Answer 1

Step 1 A healthy mature sporophyte (pine tree)

An entire pine tree, itself, is technically called a mature sporophyte ( SPOR -uh- fight ). It is literally a "spore" ( sporo -) or seed "plant" ( phyte ) that has matured. The same individual pine tree has two different sexes of cones hanging from its branches - small male cones, and not far away, big female cones. The small male cones are called pollen ( PAHL -un) cones , while the much larger female cones are termed the seed cones . (It is the large female seed cones that we usually notice on the tree branches.)

Both types of cones produce spores for reproduction. Hence, when the male fertilizes the female, an interaction between their spores eventually results in a seed, which grows into a mature pine tree or sporophyte.

Step 2 Meiosis and spore production in both male and female cones

Pine cones produce spores by the process called meiosis(my- OH -sis). Meiosis means "a condition of lessening," wherein one cell divides into two daughter cells, each containing only half the number of chromosomes found within the original parent cell.

The small, male pollen cones consist of many loose, oval scales fastened together. Within each scale, meiosis produces tiny microspores ( MY -kroh-spores). The microspores, each containing half the number of chromosomes of the parent tree, soon develop into gametes (sex cells). The male gametes become pollen granules - a "fine flour" ( pollen ) of tiny, yellow-colored grains.

The large, female seed cones consist of many tough, pear-shaped scales arranged into a spiral shape. The scales are woody and tilted outward at an angle. Each of these female scales holds two ovules ( OH -vyools) or "little eggs." Each of these ovules (little eggs) produces a megaspore ( MEH-gah-spore) - a "large" ( mega -) spore.

Step 3 Pollination (followed by fertilization) of female seed cones

When the male cones have matured, their scales pop open and release a cloud of pollen (millions of microscopic, yellowish grains). During pollination ( pahl-uh - NAY-shun), a pollen grain lands on a female cone and enters one of its ovules. After pollination, meiosis is finally triggered within the ovule, and the megaspores eventually develop into female gametes, the egg cells. Fertilization finally occurs when the pollen grain from the male grows out a tiny tube and releases a sperm cell into an egg cell.

Step 4 Zygote, embryo, and seed formation

The result of fertilization is a zygote. The zygote undergoes repeated mitosis, adds many cells, and becomes an embryo. The original ovule within the female cone eventually develops into a pine seed, which contains the embryo. The seed provides continuing nourishment for the developing pine tree embryo, and it is covered by a tough seed coat. But the seed is still "naked" in the sense that it is not buried within a fruit. Finally, the seed falls to the ground, germinates (sprouts) under favorable conditions, and grows into a pine tree

Answer 2

Gymnosperms have separate male and female reproductive structures. The male reproductive structure consists of cones that produce pollen, while the female reproductive structure consists of cones that contain ovules. Pollen is transferred to the ovules either by wind or insects, leading to fertilization and seed formation.

Answer 3

a gymnosperm is a flowering palnt and is nice to smoke

Answer 4

the cone

theres also the ovule and the ovary which are inside the cone.