Tuesday 15 October 2013

Spermatophytes



You have become the first seed-bearing plant.  Instead of a simple spore, when your reproductive cells form, they are accompanied by a partner cell or cells.  These cells are filled to bursting with nutrients which will give the new plant a head start, enabling them to mature in a much wider variety of environments.

They are also of great interest to humans and other animals because they have a very high energy density and are ideal as a food source.  Many major global foods derive from collecting plant seeds in great numbers and crushing or otherwise processing them.

Possibly the weakest link in the chain of reproduction is now the provision of pollen to create sexually reproduced seeds.  You have to make a lot of pollen which is simply cast away on the wind in the hope that it will land on another plant of the same type.  While pollen cells don't cost much to produce, there must be a better way.

The world has been moving on in the last few million years.  There are now insects buzzing around.  Unlike you, they can move around and visit different plants.  Sometimes they land on two different plants of the same type and, rather obligingly, carry the pollen across.  Perhaps you could try to encourage that?


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