Descibe general characters, classification and example of old division Spermatophyta.

Spermatophyta includes all those plants which bear seeds. These are of two types-

● Gymnosperms- Plants that bear naked seeds.

● Angiosperms- Plants that contain seeds inside the fruit.

(I) Gymnosperms- (Gk; gymno=naked, sperma=seed)

(i) Gymnosperms includes the cornifer plants like pinus.

(ii) They produce naked seeds which are not enclosed in the fruit.

(iii) They are usually perennial, evergreen and woody.

(iv) The roots are generally tap roots.

(v) In conifers, the needle-like leaves reduce the surface area.

Example- Cycas, Pinus, deodar.

(II) Angiosperms- (Gk. angio = covered, sperma= seed)

(i) These are flowering plants in which seeds are always contained inside the fruit.

(ii) The pollen grains and ovules are developed in a specialised structures called flowers.

(iii) Plant embryos in seeds have structures called cotyledons.

(iv) Plants with seeds having a single cotyledon are called monocotyledonous or monocots. Example-rice and maize.

(v) Plants with seeds having two cotyledons are called dicots. Example- Mango and rose.