Seed
/sid/
Definition
Seed is a plant structure formed after fertilization that contains a young plant embryo, stored food, and a protective outer coat. In flowering plants, it develops from the ovule inside the ovary; in gymnosperms, it forms exposed on cone scales. Unlike spores, a seed includes an embryo and food reserve. When conditions are suitable, it can remain dormant, then germinate and grow into a new plant.
Function in Plants
- Embryo protection and food supply: A seed protects the young plant embryo and usually stores energy for early growth. Those reserves help the seedling establish roots and shoots before it can fully support itself by photosynthesis.
- Dormancy and timing: Many species produce a seed that stays dormant until conditions favor germination. Temperature, moisture, light, or natural weathering of the coat can help break dormancy and improve survival.
- Dispersal strategies: Form and surface features influence how a seed moves away from the parent plant. Wind, water, animals, and explosive fruits spread seed to new sites, which reduces crowding and competition.
- Propagation in gardening: For gardeners, a seed is a common way to start annuals, vegetables, native plants, and many houseplants. Success often depends on freshness, correct sowing depth, steady moisture, and species-specific germination cues.
Related Terms
Ovule
Ovule is the seed-producing structure inside a flower’s ovary, or on the scales of cones in gymnosperms. It contains…
Germination
Germination is the biological process in which a seed resumes growth and begins developing into a seedling. It starts…
Seedling
Seedling refers to a very young plant that has developed from a seed after germination. It is the stage after the…
Stratification
Stratification is a seed treatment and natural biological process in which seeds are kept under specific moisture and…