Gymnosperm Gymnosperm The gymnosperms , also known as Acrogymnospermae, are a group of seed-producing plants that includes conifers, cycads, "Ginkgo", and gnetophytes. The term "gymnosperm" comes from the Greek composite word "γυμνόσπερμος" (γυμνός gymnos, "naked" and σπέρμα sperma, "seed"), meaning "naked seeds". The name is based on the unenclosed condition of their seeds (called ovules in their unfertilized state). The non-encased condition of their seeds stands in contrast to the seeds and ovules of flowering plants (angiosperms), which are enclosed within an ovary. Gymnosperm seeds develop either on the surface of scales or leaves, which are often modified to form cones,
Seeds of Diversity become prone to colony collapse disorder, which threatens the production of many insect-pollinated crops. Native bees are also in decline, which is partly due to loss of nesting sites in plant debris and in open untilled ground, and partly due to reduced diversity of food plants. Seeds of Diversity initiated a project called Pollination Canada with the aim of increasing awareness of native bees and alternative pollinating insects in order to protect them, so that farmers and urban gardeners can decrease their dependence on honey bees. Pollination Canada has 28 other partner organizations. In February 2013, Gretchen Bauta, Canadian philanthropist