Spermatophyta

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Spermatophyta \Sper`ma*toph"y*ta\, n. pl. [NL.; spermato- + Gr.
     ? plant.] (Bot.)
     A phylum embracing the highest plants, or those that produce
     seeds; the seed plants, or flowering plants. They form the
     most numerous group, including over 120,000 species. In
     general, the group is characterized by the marked development


     of the sporophyte, with great differentiation of its parts
     (root, stem, leaves, flowers, etc.); by the extreme reduction
     of the gametophyte; and by the development of seeds. All the
     Spermatophyta are heterosporous; fertilization of the egg
     cell is either through a
  
     {pollen tube} emitted by the microspore or (in a few
        gymnosperms) by spermatozoids.
  
     Note: The phrase "flowering plants" is less distinctive than
           "seed plants," since the conifers, grasses, sedges,
           oaks, etc., do not produce flowers in the popular
           sense. For this reason the terms {Anthrophyta},
           {Phaenogamia}, and {Panerogamia} have been superseded
           as names of the phylum by Spermatophyta.
           [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  Spermatophyta
       n : seed plants; comprises the Angiospermae (or Magnoliophyta)
           and Gymnospermae (or Gymnospermophyta); in some
           classification systems Spermatophyta is coordinate with
           Pteridophyta (spore producing plants having vascular
           tissue and roots) and Bryophyta (spore producing plants
           lacking vascular tissue and roots) [syn: {division
           Spermatophyta}]