Editing Seed (section)

=== Seed types ===

Seeds have been considered to occur in many structurally different types (Martin 1946).<ref name="Gerhard Leubner-2015">{{citation |url=http://www.seedbiology.de/evolution2.asp |title=The Seed Biology Place |publisher=Gerhard Leubner Lab, Royal Holloway, University of London |access-date=13 October 2015 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924100016/http://www.seedbiology.de/evolution2.asp |archive-date=24 September 2015 }}</ref> These are based on a number of criteria, of which the dominant one is the embryo-to-seed size ratio. This reflects the degree to which the developing cotyledons absorb the nutrients of the endosperm, and thus obliterate it.<ref name="Gerhard Leubner-2015" />

Six types occur amongst the monocotyledons, ten in the dicotyledons, and two in the gymnosperms (linear and spatulate).<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uGJL_Ys6wlQC|title=Carol C. Baskin, Jerry M. Baskin. Seeds: Ecology, Biogeography, and Evolution of Dormancy and Germination. Elsevier, 2001|isbn= 978-0-12-080263-0 |page=27|via=google.ca|last1=Baskin|first1=Carol C.|last2=Baskin|first2=Jerry M.|year=2001|publisher=Elsevier }}</ref> This classification is based on three characteristics: embryo morphology, amount of endosperm and the position of the embryo relative to the endosperm.

[[File:Monocot dicot seed.svg|thumb|Diagram of a generalized dicot seed (1) versus a generalized monocot seed (2). A. [[Scutellum (botany)|Scutellum]] B. [[Cotyledon]] C. Hilum D. Plumule E. Radicle F. [[Endosperm]]]]
[[File:Comparison of Monocotyledons and Dicotyledons.png|thumb|Comparison of [[monocotyledons]] and [[dicotyledons]]]]