The
gymnosperms are a group of
seed-producing plants that includes
conifers,
cycads,
Ginkgo, and
Gnetales. The term "gymnosperm" comes from the
Greek word gymnospermos, meaning "naked seeds", after the unenclosed condition of their seeds. Their naked condition stands in contrast to the seeds and ovules of flowering plants, which are enclosed within an ovary. Gymnosperm seeds develop either on the surface of scales or leaves, often modified to form
cones, or at the end of short stalks as in.