Angiosperm

/ˈændʒioʊspɜːrm/ noun

Definition

Flowering plants that produce seeds enclosed within fruits. This group includes most familiar plants like trees, flowers, grasses, and crops, representing the most diverse group of land plants.

Etymology

From Greek 'angeion' (vessel) and 'sperma' (seed), meaning 'enclosed seed,' coined in the 1830s. The term distinguishes these plants from gymnosperms, whose seeds are 'naked' or exposed.

Kelly Says

Angiosperms basically invented advertising - their colorful flowers and tasty fruits are elaborate marketing schemes to attract pollinators and seed dispersers! This strategy was so successful that they now dominate Earth's landscapes, making up about 80% of all plant species.

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