Explain the general characters of Gymnosperm plant body.

1.	Explain the general characters of Gymnosperm plant body.
Answer» Gymnosperm plant body is sporophyte. Sporophyte consists of stem, root and leaves. Stem is unbranched in cycas. the stem bears crown of leaves at the tip. The foliage leaves are pinnately compound in cycas and needlelike in conifers. Brown small non-photosynthetic leaves called scale leaves/cataphylls are present in cycas. In cycas, the cataphylls are thickly covered with brown hairs called ramenta. The foliage leaves are green. The pinnae are tough, leathery and has only midrib without veins. Young leaves show circinate vernation. The roots are inhabited by blue-green algae like Nostoc help the plant in nitrogen fixation Sporophyte produces two types of spores so it is heterosporous.

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