Spores form part of the life cycles of many plants, algae, fungi and protozoa. In biology, a spore is a unit of sexual (in fungi) or asexual reproduction that may be adapted for dispersal and for survival, often for extended periods of time, in unfavourable conditions. Inset shows the surrounding, black poplars growing on sandy loam on the bank of a kolk, with the detail area marked.

The tops of the gametophytes ( 2) can be discerned as well. The last stage of the moss lifecycle is shown, where the sporophytes are visible before dispersion of their spores: the calyptra ( 1) is still attached to the capsule ( 3). Fresh snow partially covers rough-stalked feather-moss ( Brachythecium rutabulum), growing on a thinned hybrid black poplar ( Populus x canadensis).

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Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Spores are less capable of surviving in harsh conditions.This article needs additional citations for verification. They can easily survive in the unfavourable conditions. They are mostly dispersed by air and water. Most of the seeds contain reserve food for the growing embryo in the form endosperm. They are of two types: homosporous (identical spores or one type) and heterosporous (male and female spores or two different types).

monocots produce seeds with single cotyledons and dicots produce seeds with two cotyledons. They are of two types based on the number of cotyledons, e.g.

Spores are found underside the leaves of ferns and mosses and gills of the fungi. Spores are produced by fungi, algae, bacteria, non-flowering plants etc. They are reproductive structures or cells capable of reproducing and growing into a new plant without involving fusion with another reproductive structure or cell. They are ripened ovules of a flowering plant. If a plant produces only one type of spores, it is known as homospory and if it produces two types of spores (male and female spores), it is known as heterospory.īased on the above information, some of the key differences between Spores and Seeds are as follows: Seeds In other words, depending on the types of spores produced by a plant, it can be homosporous or heterosporous. The spores can be of two types: homosporous and heterosporous. So, spores are units of asexual reproduction in non-flowering plants, fungi, bacteria, algae etc. It is capable of reproducing and growing into a new plant without involving fusion with other reproductive structures. Spores:Ī spore is a reproductive structure, cell or organ of a plant, fungi and algae. In monocots, the seeds have only one cotyledon, whereas, in dicots a seed has two cotyledons. The outer seed coat is called the testa, and the inner seed coat is called the tegmen.

It is the integuments of the ovule that develop into seed coats. The endosperm is a source of stored food for the growing embryo and the seed coat comprises one or more protective layers or seed coats to ensure embryo grows into a new plant without being damaged. A seed basically has three parts embryo, endosperm and seed coat, however some seeds lack endosperm. It is the ovule present in the ovary that develops into the seed after fertilization. Let us see how seeds differ from spores! Seeds:Ī seed is a ripened ovule with a small embryonic plant enclosed in a covering called the seed coat. Although they serve the same purpose, they are different from each other. They undergo germination to produce new plants or organisms of the same species. Spores and seeds are the most common reproductive structures found in plants, fungi and some bacteria. Next → ← prev Difference between Seeds and Spores

10 examples of spore bearing plants