Angiosperms, also called flowering plants, have seeds that are enclosed within an ovary (usually a fruit), while gymnosperms have no flowers or fruits, and have unenclosed or “naked” seeds on the surface of scales or leaves. Gymnosperm seeds are often configured as cones. The characteristics that differentiate angiosperms from gymnosperms include flowers, fruits, and endosperm in the seeds.
Diversity
Hundreds of millions of years ago, gymnosperms were the only kind of plant life on Earth. Between 250 and 200 million years ago, angiosperms started to evolve. Now, angiosperms are more widely distributed and populous, and can be considered the dominant plant life on the planet. Angiosperms comprise a far more diverse range of plants, with a range of 250,000 to 400,000 species. They inhabit every kind of land and aquatic environment except the most extreme habitats. Angiosperms may be dicots or monocots.
Examples of Angiosperms and Gymnosperms
Examples of angiosperms are monocots like lilies, orchids, agaves (known for agave nectar) and grasses; and dicots like roses, peas, sunflowers, oaks and maples.
Gymnosperm examples include non-flowering evergreen trees such as pine, spruce and fir.
Gymnosperm species number only in the thousands, with a little more than 1,000 extant species. They are found in desert to semi-desert habitats.
Pine tree, a gymnosperm with needle-like leaves and a cone
Anatomical Differences
Since gymnosperms and angiosperms are both vascular plants, they have a sporophyte-dominant life-cycle.
Tissue formation in angiosperms exceeds the amount and complexity found in gymnosperms. Angiosperms have a triploid vascular tissue, flat leaves in numerous shapes and hardwood stems. Because of the innumerable varieties of the fruit and/or flower-bearing plants, they have variegated colors and shapes of leaves, flowers and fruits.
Gymnosperms are haploid, have spiky, needle-like leaves and are softwood. Gymnosperms are "simpler" anatomically because they do not bear flowers or fruit, and although of different species, are usually only tall evergreens with brown cones.
More details about the anatomical differences between angiosperms and gymnosperms are explained in the following video:
Reproduction
Reproduction in angiosperms can be unisexual or bisexual. The gametes are spread by wind and by insect and animal pollinators attracted by their flowers. Flowers often have both female and male gametes inside them, and after fertilization, the ovules develop into a fruit.
The gametes of gymnosperms are found in cones. Fertilization is described as single; the pollen grains fall and germinate directly on the ovules. Pollen spores are spread by wind alone.
Uses
Angiosperms provide virtually all plant-based food, as well as most livestock feed. Grains, fruit, legumes, nightshades (including potatoes and tomatoes), gourds, and cabbages are all angiosperms. Other angiosperms like cotton and flax provide paper and textiles. The hardwood of angiosperms is used to make hardwood floors.
Gymnosperms from the conifer group like pine, spruce, and fir are commonly used for lumber. Other gymnosperms are processed into other products like soap, varnish, and perfumes.
The key difference between angiosperms and gymnosperms is how their seeds are developed. The seeds of angiosperms develop in the ovaries
ovaries
ovary, in botany, enlarged basal portion of the pistil, the female organ of a flower. The ovary contains ovules, which develop into seeds upon fertilization. The ovary itself will mature into a fruit, either dry or fleshy, enclosing the seeds.
of flowers and are surrounded by a protective fruit. Gymnosperm seeds are usually formed in unisexual cones, known as strobili
strobili
strobile (plural strobiles) (botany) A scaly multiple fruit resulting from the ripening of an ament in certain plants, such as the hop or pine; a cone.
Angiosperms, are also known as flowering plants and having seeds enclosed within their fruit. Whereas gymnosperms have no flowers or fruits and have naked seeds on the surface of their leaves. Gymnosperm seeds are configured as the cones.
Gymnosperms produce seeds (Figure 8.1. 1) and, together with flowering plants, constitute the seed plants. Although gymnosperms do not produce flowers and fruits, they still have embryos enclosed in a protective barrier or seed coat.
General Difference between Angiosperms and Gymnosperms
Angiosperms are Seed producing flowering plants whose seeds are enclosed within an ovary. Gymnospems are Seed producing non-flowering plants whose seeds are enclosed. Archegoina are absent. The female gametophyte contains archegonia.
This alarmingly high extinction risk of gymnosperms is driven by habitat loss, climate change and overexploitation. The Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba) has been evolving separately from all other living species for 315 million years and is the sole surviving representative of the entire order Ginkgoales.
Hint: Gymnosperms have distinguished plant parts, vascular tissue, as well as seeds for reproduction. However, the seeds are 'naked', they do not have any coverage in the form of fruits. This also means there are no flowers and thus the ovary is absent in them.
The seed sits atop the scale rather than enclosed within a fruit, as it would be in an angiosperm. For this reason gymnosperms are said to have naked seeds. The development of seeds can also be much slower in gymnosperms compared to angiosperms.
Unlike angiosperms, ovaries are absent in gymnosperms, double fertilization does not take place, male and female gametophytes are present on cones rather than flowers, and wind (not animals) drives pollination.
Ferns are not gymnosperms. They are pteridophytes. They have a well-developed vascular system. They do not produce seeds or flowers, hence called cryptogams.
Gymnosperms are a group of plants which produce seeds that are not contained within an ovary or a fruit. They are perennial i.e., they take more than two years to complete their life cycle.
Gymnosperms have naked seeds, don't have flowers or fruits, and have a haploid endosperm in the seeds (endosperm is produced before fertilization), while Angiosperms have enclosed seeds, flowers, fruits, and have a triploid endosperm in the seed (endosperm produced during triple fusion).
The Gymnosperms are characterized by a more primitive means of reproduction than the flowering plants (angiosperms). While gymnosperms have a seed coat, they lack a fruiting structure and a true flower, providing less protection for the developing embryo than flowering plants.
Based on the types of cotyledon present, angiosperms are divided into two classes. They are monocotyledons and dicotyledons. The dicotyledonous angiosperms have two cotyledons in their seeds and the monocotyledonous angiosperms have one cotyledon.
Introduction: My name is Domingo Moore, I am a attractive, gorgeous, funny, jolly, spotless, nice, fantastic person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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