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Encyclopedia entry: Seed Plants
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- Canadian Encyclopedia
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T.A. STEEVES
Canadian Encyclopedia
01-01-2002
Seed Plants
Author: T.A. STEEVES
Seed Plants , the most abundant and familiar component of Earth's vegetation, comprise an estimated 250 000-300 000 species. They outnumber all otherPLANT groups, dominate the land, thrive in bodies of fresh water and are found to a limited extent in the oceans. They include the largest (giant sequoia) and oldest (bristlecone pine) living things, and encompass tiny water-meal scarcely 1 mm long and ephemeral annuals that survive only a few weeks. Seed plants share with other vascular plants (plants with woody conducting systems) basic organs (root, stem and leaf), ...