What Are the Different Types of Angiosperms?

Angiosperms are described as plants that make flowers' seeds. Another type of term used is flowering plants. They are one of the largest groups in the plant kingdom. They have roots, stems, leaves and flowers. Most plants that you see when you look out any window are usually angiosperms. There are many different types of angiosperms that produce seeds and fruit.

Significance

Angiosperm plants get their names from the fact that their seeds are produced within the fruit of the plant. The fruit is used to move seeds away from the parent plant. All these plants produce fruit, but some are not categorized as fruit. Some fruits from plants can fly through the air like maple tree seeds and dandelions. Others float across water like coconuts. Even edible fruit is not really meant to be eaten with the seeds. They are vascular plants with true roots that anchor them to the ground. The roots take in the nutrients and water, while the stems may be green or woody and are capable of photosynthesis.

Function

Angiosperms are divided into two separate groups based on the design of their seeds. The monocots have a single seed like corn. Other features are they have leaf veins that are parallel to each other, fibrous roots that branch out, green stems and vascular bundles in roots and stems. Dicots have a two piece seed like the peanut plant a good example. These types of angiosperms have flower pairs in multiples of four or five, the leaf veins branch out from the central one, one major root from which smaller ones grow and some grow in ring patterns.

Types

Angiosperms are one of the most diverse plant groups around. They have plants that live off other plants, as floating or rooted plants in ponds or marine setting. Other types include herbs, trees, vines, vegetables and shrubs. The largest three groups of angiosperms is the sunflower family, orchid family and pea family. There are many different types of seeds covered by a coat. Each angiosperm the fruit and seed varies. The pinto bean and castor bean carry a seed inside. They are though of as a fruit since they carry the seed. Some seeds are dandelions, broad beans and sycamores.

Features

Angiosperms have a coevolution feature in that they use other insects and animals as pollinators. The interaction of the plant and animals is when the animals carry the pollen from the male part of the flower to the female. Some flowers are pollinated by crawling insects and some by flying insects like different types of honey bees. Some angiosperms use beetles as pollinators due to how they perceive the color red. Some fruits have used some animals as seed carriers. Each species has an dependence on animals and insects which shows how nature supports each other.

Identification

The fruit of the angiosperms have many different types. Pineapples and mulberries come from many flowers, and they are called multiple fruits. Aggregate fruits are from several separate or pistils of one flower. Examples of this type of fruit are strawberries, raspberries and blackberries. Simple fruits come from one pistil or carpal in one flower. There are many varieties of simple fruit some are described as fleshy or dry. Some fleshy fruits are the apple, plums and peaches described as single seed with stony endocarp. Fruits are units of dispersal for the seeds. They are distributed through wind, water, animal and insects of various types.