Gymnosperms

General Characteristics

• Gymnosperms are "cone-bearing" plants that produce "naked"/unprotected seeds.
• Their leaves can take on the form of thin needle-like structures, or flat scales with thick cuticles
• Their cones take on either a male or female form, the male structure being significantly smaller than the female cone.
• Their dominant stage is their sporophyte stage, which is when the plant grows into a tree.
• These fully grown sporophytes have roots, stems, leaves and vascular tissues such as xylem and phloem.
• These trees can defend themselves by producing a sticky substance called resin, that can  protect the tree against any harmful bacteria.

Male and Female Cone Structures

Male: The male cone is much smaller appearance than the female, their scales are not as visible as theirs either. They tend to grow in groups of other male cones, and since they contain sperm, when released there will be a better chance at fertilization since the dispersal of their sperm cells is much more efficient.

Female: The female cone is generally much larger than the male, and their shape can vary depending on their species. The reason for their size is because they must protect the egg cells within their structure from any harsh conditions that could cause any harm to it.

Samples & Species

Lodgepole Pine 

Sullivan Heights Secondary, May 21 11:13 AM 

In this photo of the Lodgepole Pine, both the male and (developing) female cones can be seen. The females are the darker, spikier looking cones, that still appear to be growing into its full size. The males are in clusters and are the lighter coloured cones that can be seen scattered throughout this plant. The leaves are thin, and needle-like and have a darker green colour. They are native to the western parts of North America, and grow in dry montane forests or by ocean shores.

Western White Pine

Bear-Creek Park, May 21 11:35 AM

In this picture of the Western White Pine, the male cones have a pink and yellow colour to them rather than the typical brown that one may see on another species of gymnosperm. The leaves on this species appear to be much thinner and longer, and have a blueish-green colour. The Western White Pine is also native to North America, and thrive in various habitats such as bogs, dry sandy areas and even on rocky soil.

Monkey Puzzle Tree

Bear-Creek Park, May 21 11:37 AM

The Monkey Puzzle Tree, also known as the Chile Pine, has a peculiar structure. The leaves appear to be a bit larger compared to other species that have thin needle-like leaves, and instead have the resemblance to the leafy head of a pineapple. The branches also curve out in various directions, one of the reasons it was given its name as the structure appeared to be challenging for even a monkey to climb. This plant is native to South America, commonly growing on mountain slopes in coniferous woods. 

Adaptions 

Some adaptations that gymnosperms have developed to live on land is their seeds, as they can travel great distances without the assistance of water or another organism. Their wide range of dispersal also proves as an advantage for them since the seeds will be far enough to have their own resources and not need to compete for them with other plants within their range. Their seeds also have a seed coat which protects the plant embryo from drying, and also provides nourishment for the embryo during its development. The sporophyte stage (the tree) of a gymnosperm is quite big, this can be seen as an advantage as the plant now has more surface area with its given height and width to collect sunlight for photosynthesis. This will allow for the plant to grow even bigger, and collect more nutrients.