Angiospermae

Angiospermae, commonly called flowering plants, are a clade of plants defined by the production of flowers and seeds enclosed within a mature ovary, which develops into a fruit.

They are the most diverse and widespread group of land plants, with roughly 300,000 described species occupying nearly every habitat, from deserts and grasslands to tropical forests and wetlands.

A defining feature is the flower, which serves as the primary reproductive structure and often attracts animal pollinators. Most angiosperms undergo double fertilization: one sperm fuses with the egg to form a zygote, and another sperm fuses with two polar nuclei to produce a triploid endosperm that nourishes the developing embryo; seeds are housed inside a fruit derived from the ovary.

Two major lineages, monocots and eudicots, display diverse forms from tiny annual herbs to large trees and climbers. They commonly show specialized features such as vessel elements in xylem, varied floral organs, and a wide range of pollination strategies.

The origin of angiosperms is dated to the Early Cretaceous, with rapid diversification in the following tens of millions of years. They are economically important, providing most staple cereals, fruits, vegetables, and many horticultural crops.