Question

Some angiosperm seeds are said to be ‘albuminous’, whereas few others are said to have a perisperm. Explain each with the help of an example.

Answer 1

The seeds of certain angiosperms like cereals, coconut, and castor, which retain the endosperm at maturity, are called albuminous seeds. The endosperm serves as nourishment for the young seedling. Perisperm, on the other hand, is a remnant of the nucellus that generally nourishes the embryo sac or endosperm but is mostly consumed as the endosperm matures. In some plants, such as those in the families Scitamineae and Piperaceae, the nucellus persists as a nutritive layer called perisperm around the embryo sac, even in mature seeds.