4. Gymnosperm

This pinecone is bigger than me!

Definition: A gymnosperm is a plant that does not have it's seeds enclosed in an ovary, instead it has a conifer or cycad. The word "gymnosperm" comes from a greek term that means "naked seed".

What the specimen is: This is the cone of a Pine Tree or 'Pinus'. Since the cone scales are not spread far apart, we suspect this is a female cone.

Where we found it: This pine cone came from a pine tree on the campus of West LA college. Sarah decided to take a class there this summer and may or may not have had to climb down a slope to retrieve this little lady for a photo op.

How it relates to gymnosperm: Pine cones protect the seeds of the tree and allow the seeds to disperse farther away from the parent tree. The pine seeds are inside the conifer instead of an ovary, and are therefore classified as gymnosperm.