Gymnosperms

Overview

Gymnosperms are seed plants that do not flower. In order for plants to flower, they require ovaries to cover the seed. Hence, their name's meaning, "naked seed," in Greek.

Examples

Ginkgo

Pines

Gymnosperm Wood

Also known as "softwood," gymnosperms are known to have more homogenous or simple tissues compared to their flowering cousins. As such, they don't have vessel elements, sieve tubes, and companion cells.

However, gymnosperms have structures called resin canals that are often mistaken as xylem by beginners. Perhaps they aren't so simple after all...

Compression Wood

It was a dark and stormy night.
The gymnosperm tree must stay upright.
Against the north wind's might.
To stay upright, it used a strategy.
“Compression wood!” cried the tree.
“This will save me!”
And the gymnosperm tree
Put up a mighty fight
Creating dense rings on its southside.
Against the north wind's might.
And lasted throughout,
The dark and stormy night.

Ignoring the corny poem, compression wood is known for having dense rings where the tree bends to keep the tree upright. While staying upright against the strong wind's might is one good use of this strategy, it's also good for gymnosperm trees hanging on a cliff and fighting against the pull of gravity.

Keep note that if the poem stated the wind is coming from the south instead of the north, then the gymnosperm's dense rings will develop on its north side.

Fun facts About Compression Wood