Growing Seeds

One of life’s little wonders…

Things to ponder…What are the 5 major plant growth requirements?

Nutrients

Light

Moisture

Carbon Dioxide

Temperature

It’s just a seed right?DrySmallUglyWho cares?

Or is it?All DifferentAliveLittle promises of growth!Hold PotentialImpressiveNeatly packaged

What is a seed?A seed is a fertilized, ripened ovule of a seed-producing plant…

Containing a living plant embryo capable of germinating and producing a new plant!

More simply…

A seed is a guarantee of another plant!

How are seeds formed?

Flowers are pollinated and seeds form within the drying flower.

What’s in a seed?A tiny living plant embryo suspended inside.

What’s viability?This ability for the embryo to wait suspended is called “viability”

Epicotyl: (in the embryo of a plant) the part of the stem above the cotyledons.

Hypocotyl: connects the cotyledons to the radicle.

Radicle: The part of a plant embryo that develops into a root.

Cotyledon: the primary leaf of the embryo of seed plants. (Like the sepal of a bud… for protection.)

What is the length of a

seed’s viability called?

“longevity”

The 2 Seed Categories:

One seed leafFlower parts are in 3’s or multiples of 3Leaves have parallel veinsVascular bundles are scattered in the stemTap Root System

Monocot

Endosperm

Cotyledon

Embryo

Seed CoatMonocot

Two seed leaves (cotyledons)Flower parts in four or five multiplesLeaves are net veinedVascular bundles in stems are arranged in a circleFibrous Roots

Dicot

Endosperm

Cotyledons

Embryo

Seed CoatDicot

Can you tell them apart?

AA BB

Can you identify the parts?

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