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The Importance of Seed in Botany

Seed is the primary means by which plants disseminate themselves and produce offspring. They contain an embryo and food reserves in a protective covering.

Gardeners can use various containers to start seeds, such as flats, trays, and cell packs. Previously used milk cartons and plastic jugs can also be used, as can paper cups and egg cartons. Some species of seeds require scarification, which breaks chemical dormancy and encourages germination. Stratification (moist chilling) is another method that can be used.

Definition

In botany, seed refers to an embryonic plant enclosed in a protective outer covering. Seeds are the primary means by which flowering plants disseminate their offspring and they are also the main way that grasses and grains propagate themselves. Seeds are surrounded by a food reserve called the endosperm, a stem known as the cotyledon and a hard husk or seed coat. A scar on the seed coat known as the hilum marks the spot where the seed attaches to its parent plant’s ovary.

Seeds are mainly used as a source of food, especially cereals, legumes, nuts and oils. They also provide the proteins that give bread its texture. In the Bible, the term “seed” is sometimes used in a more general sense of descendants; e.g., in Genesis 1:18; Ezekiel 33:29. In such cases, the word is derived from the Hebrew word zera, which can mean either descendant or offspring. It is not to be confused with the rabbinical term for offspring, which is tamim.

Origin

The evolution of the seed was a crucial step for the rapid expansion of gymnosperm and angiosperm plants. The seed habit, together with a range of other characteristics such as enhanced sporophyte and reduced gametophyte, allowed these plant groups to rapidly dominate the terrestrial flora.

A seed is a fertilized ovule enclosed in a protective tissue called the endosperm. Most seeds contain one cotyledon in monocots, two in dicots, and three or more in gymnosperms. The cotyledon is the first leaves to emerge from the seedling, and it is pressed closely against the endosperm to absorb food for growth.

Most seeds are dispersed by birds, mammals, and other animals. They can also be carried by water or wind. Seeds are the source of many medicines including the quack cancer drug laetrile, tea tree oil, and castor oil. They are also the main source of vegetable oils, cereals, nuts and legumes, and important food additives such as gluten.

Function

Seeds are an important part of the reproductive system of flowering plants. They contain the embryo of a new plant along with a reserve of food for its early development after germination. They are encased in a protective outer covering called a testa.

Seed dispersal is essential for the survival of plant species. If plant species grow too closely together they compete for light, water and nutrients in the soil. Seeds allow plants to move to different locations where they can get the resources they need without competing with other plants for these resources.

Seeds are well adapted for dispersal by animals, wind or water. Floating seeds can travel long distances and are especially useful for spreading plants that thrive in aquatic environments, such as mangrove trees. Seeds also have features to withstand harsh temperature and moisture conditions, such as a hard seed coat, cotyledons and endosperm. The seed also has an opening, known as the hilum and micropyle, that allows water to enter during germination.

Growth

Seeds contain all the things a new plant needs to begin growing. Inside each seed is an embryonic (baby) plant and a food supply. As a seed absorbs water, its embryo grows and its food supply breaks down to provide energy for the growing embryo. Then the embryonic root (radicle) pushes through the seed’s covering layers. Eventually, the cotyledons — the first leaves of the plant — form.

Scientists still don’t fully understand all the processes that take place during seed germination. However, they do know that the embryo in a seed swells up when it soaks up water and produces enzymes to help speed up its growth and germination.

Some seeds need the right temperature to germinate, and others need a certain amount of sunlight to grow and produce their own food. Gardeners and horticulturists try to break the physiological dormancy of many seeds by gradually exposing them to day and night temperatures, wind, moisture, air movement, and light.

By Weed Smoker

Rastafarianism is an African religion and there is a great deal of people in the world that follow its teachings. In fact, there are even people that have embraced the lifestyle that is closely associated with Rastafarianism in the past such as musician and entertainer Bob Marley and Rastafarian clothing designer Larry Lloyd.

As the name implies, the Rastafarian lifestyle includes wearing clothes and accessories that are made out of beads, feathers, and other natural materials. The clothing in the Rastafarian tradition often includes animal skin, such as a horse's hide. The hair of the Rastafarian man is also usually long.

The lifestyle of Rastafarians is largely based on traditional ways of living in their native countries, as well as the African traditions and rituals that are passed down. Rastafarians have a great deal of respect for the animals that are part of their diet. Most people that follow this type of lifestyle believe that they have a direct link to the animals that they eat. In fact, in some cases, the animals may be eaten during the ceremony that follows the ceremony.

In addition to having a great deal of respect for the animals, Rastafarians also have a great deal of respect for their hobbies and pastimes. They often dress in clothes that are similar to that of the animals that they eat. Rastafarians also have a great deal of respect for the clothing that they wear and the clothing that is used to decorate their home. The color of the clothing and accessories that are worn by Rastafarians is often very similar to that of the animals that they eat.

Although Rastafarians follow a lifestyle that is based on a natural way of life, some of them do have to be in the workplace. For example, many Rastafarians work as musicians or entertainers. In order to do so, the musician may have to give up some of his or her time in order to become successful. In addition, some musicians choose to work for other musicians, such as Bob Marley and the Wailers. However, other musicians choose to work for themselves, like Bob Marley.

Although the Rastafarian lifestyle is different from that of other people, the Rastafarian lifestyle is also a life of peace and harmony. The Rastafarian people live a simple life where they eat animal meat, live in their own homes, and do not engage in much of the materialistic activities of society.