A Nuts like these acoms ar
away by squirrels who
them and forget where
as it dries out.
Test yourself
41 After fertilization, what happens to
a) the flower?
b) the ovule?
c) the ovary wall?
2 Describe the structure of a seed.
*3 What is the biggest part of a seed? Suggest a reason for this.
4 a) Give one reason why it is good to have seeds scattered away from
b) Give three ways in which seeds can be scattered.
If left to dry out, the pods of peas and beans
suddenly burst open, throwing the seeds
away from the parent plant. This is due to
stresses that build up in the walls of the pod
Answers
plants) and gymnosperms (e.g., conifers, cycads, and ginkgos). Essentially, a seed consists of a miniature undeveloped plant (the embryo), which, alone or in the company of stored food for its early development after germination, is surrounded by a protective coat (the testa). Frequently small in size and making negligible demands upon their environment, seeds are eminently suited to perform a wide variety of functions the relationships of which are not always obvious: multiplication, perennation (surviving seasons of stress such as winter), dormancy (a state of arrested development), and dispersal. Pollination and the “seed habit” are considered the most important factors responsible for the overwhelming evolutionary success of the flowering plants, which number more than 300,000 species.
magnolia fruit and seed