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Gymnosperms

The term Gymnosperm means "naked seed", and refers to the fact that all plants in this phylum have no protecting ovary wall surrounding the seed. The vascular tissue is also organized differently than in the Angiosperms (flowering plants). Arising in the late Devonian period, this phylum predates the Angiosperms by many millions of years, and includes many extinct species.

There are four divisions in this phylum. These divisions are important because, due to the great age of these plants, they are not as closely related genetically to one another as are the Angiosperms. The divisions are:

  1. Cycadophyta - the cycads are listed under a separate heading.
  2. Ginkgophyta - the ginko tree, Ginko biloba, is the only surviving member of this entire division.
  3. Coniferophyta - the many familiar species in this division include pines, junipers, cypresses, yews, firs, larches, cedars, redwoods, spruces, and their relatives
  4. Gnetophyta - this division consists of Ephedra, Gnetum, and Welwitschia

The Gymnosperm collection in the Hartman Prehistoric Garden will eventually include examples from all four divisions.

  • Cephalotaxus fortunei - Chinese plum yew
  • Cephalotaxus harringtonia - Japanese plum yew
  • Chamaecyparis thyoides subsp. henryae - Southern white-cedar
  • Cryptomeria japonica "nana globosa"
  • Cupressus arizonica - Arizona cypress
  • Cupressus arizonica 'glabra' - Carolina saphire
  • Cupressus austrotibetica
  • Cupressus nootkatensis x macrocarpa - Leyland cypress
  • Ginkgo biloba - Ginkgo or Maidenhair tree
  • Juniperus ashei - Ash juniper or Mountain cedar
  • Juniperus chinensis - Chinese juniper
  • Juniperus deppeana - Alligator juniper
  • Juniperus horizontalis - Youngstown juniper
  • Metasequoia glyptostroboides - Dawn redwood
  • Pinus pinea - Stone pine
  • Pinus yunnanensis - Yunnan pine
  • Platycladus orientalis - Chinese arborvitae
  • Podocarpus macrophyllus - Japanese yew pine
  • Taxodium ascendens - Pond cypress
  • Taxodium mucronatum - Montezuma cypress

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