Life Science Practice Exam 2026 - Free Life Science Practice Questions and Study Guide

Cones are the reproductive structures of gymnosperms. Plants like pines, spruces, and cycads reproduce using cones rather than flowers. There are male cones that produce pollen and female cones that bear ovules on their scales; after pollination, the ovules develop into seeds on the cone scales and are eventually dispersed. This is different from flowering plants, where the reproductive organs are flowers that form fruits enclosing seeds. A zygote is simply the fertilized cell, and germination is the process of a seed starting to grow. So the term that describes the reproductive structure in gymnosperms is cones.