Give general characters of Gymnosperms and Angiosperms.

1. General characters of Gymnosperms: 

(a) Types: 

Most of the gymnosperms are evergreen, shrubs or woody trees. 

(b) Vascular tissues: 

They are vascular plants having xylem with tracheids and phloem with sieve cells. 

(c) Flower: 

These are primitive group of flowering plants producing naked seeds.

(d) Body: 

The plant body is sporophyte. It is differentiated into root, stem and leaves.

(e) Roots: 

The root system is tap root type. In some gymnosperms, the roots form symbiotic association with other life forms. Coralloid roots of Cycas show association with blue green algae and roots of Pinus show association with endophytic fungi called mycorrhizae. 

(f) Stem: 

In gymnosperms, stem is mostly erect, aerial, solid and cylindrical. Secondary growth is seen in Gymnosperms due to the presence of cambium. In Cycas it is usually unbranched, while in conifers it is branched, (e.g. Pinus, Cedrus). 

(g) Leaves: 

The leaves are dimorphic. The foliage leaves are green, simple needle like or pinnately compound, whereas scale leaves are small, membranous and brown. 

(h) Spores: 

Spores are produced by microsporophyll (Male) and megasporophyll (Female).

(2) General characters of angiosperms:

(a) Habitat: 

Angiosperms is a group of highly evolved plants, primarily adapted to terrestrial habitat. 

(b) Alternation of generations: 

Angiosperms show heteromorphic alternation of generation in which the sporophyte is diploid, dominant, autotrophic and independent. The gametophytes (male or female) are haploid, reduced and concealed. 

(c) Spores and Sporophylls: 

Angiosperms are heterosporous. Microspores (commonly called pollens) are formed in microsporangia (or anthers). They develop in highly specialized microsporophyll or stamens while megaspores are formed in megasporangia (or ovules) borne on highly specialized megasporophyll called carpel. 

(d) Flower: 

Besides the essential whorls of microsporophylls (androecium) and megasporophylls (gynoecium), there are accessory whorls namely, calyx (sepals) and corolla (petals) arranged together to form flowers.