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Introduction

Most plants begin life as seeds. Plants form their seeds inside flowers or cones. In flowering plants a fruit often surrounds the seeds.

Seeds need the right conditions to germinate, or grow into a new plant. They need air, water, the right temperature, good soil conditions, and the right amount of light.

Features

A seed contains a miniature plant, called an embryo, that can develop into a fully grown plant. The outer shell of a seed, called a seed coat, protects the embryo. Inside the seed a nutritious material provides food to the embryo. In flowering plants this material is called endosperm.

Germination

Once a seed has formed, it leaves its parent plant. Seeds often can stay dormant, or inactive, for many years before they germinate. Because of this, people can store seeds and plant them later. A seed will germinate once it is in the ground and the conditions are right. The seed needs water, oxygen, the right temperature, and, eventually, light.

As germination begins, parts of the embryo break out of the seed coat. One part grows downward. It becomes the plant’s roots, which take in water and food from the soil. Other parts grow upward. They become the plant’s stem and leaves, which absorb sunlight.

How Seeds Travel

It is important that seeds travel away from their parent plant. If the seeds land nearby, they compete with the parent for light and water. This means that they are less likely to survive.

Seeds travel in many ways. Some plants have fruits or pods that burst open to scatter the seeds inside. The wind blows lightweight seeds. Some seeds, such as those of dandelions, have fluffy parts that help them to drift through the air. Some plants, such as coconut palms, drop their seeds in nearby water. These seeds have waterproof coverings that let them float far away.

Animals also carry seeds to other places. Seeds with sticky or prickly seed coats stick in the fur of animals. The seeds drop to the ground later. When birds and other animals eat fruit, the seeds pass through their bodies and often end up far from where they ate the fruit.

Uses

Seeds are an important source of food for people and animals. Seeds used for food are often called grains or beans. People also use seeds to make oils, spices, fabric dye, and jewelry.

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Did You Know?

The seed of the coco de mer palm can weigh as much as 60 pounds (27 kilograms).

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