Lesson 5: Reproductive Structures
Unit 1 - Structural Units & Functions
Lesson 5: Reproductive Structures
The reproductive structures of a tree include the flowers, cones, fruit, and seeds. All trees produce seeds, which allow them to reproduce.
However, not all trees produce flowers and fruit.
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In general, deciduous trees are angiosperms. Therefore they produce flowers.
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Sometimes the flowers of deciduous trees are very conspicuous. Familiar examples include apple and cherry blossoms.
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Other deciduous trees produce small, inconspicuous flowers that are easily missed. Catkins, pictured at the right, are structures comprised of numerous small flowers. These catkins "bloom" even before the leaves appear in the spring. This allows the pollen to be dispersed easily.

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Coniferous trees are gymnosperms. They produce neither flowers nor fruit. They produce cones.
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Most coniferous trees have both male and female cones. The small soft male cones produce pollen. The larger, woody female cones produce eggs and have scales that shelter the seeds until they mature.
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Remember — coniferous trees are gymnosperms; the seeds are not enclosed by fruit.

But, botanically speaking, the fruit is the structure of a plant that contains the seeds.
Its function is to aid in seed dispersal.
Examples of edible tree fruits include apples, cherries, Brazil nuts, hazelnuts, and coconuts.

Maple tree fruits resemble winged structures that spin like helicopters.
This allows for better wind dispersal of the seeds, which are attached to the winged structures.
