From delicate dandelion flowers to majestic oak trees, millions of plant species use seeds to reproduce and thrive. But where did seeds first come from?
Seeds have played a crucial role in helping plants evolve and adapt to their environments. They add diverse beauty to the natural world while providing food and medicinal resources for humans. It is hard to imagine what the world would be like without seeds.
Seeds dispersing from a dandelion. (Source: Getty Images).
Plants began using seeds for reproduction at the end of the Devonian period, around 419–359 million years ago. Although scientists have not yet pinpointed the exact evolutionary origin of seeds, the earliest recorded fossils date back to the Famennian stage, approximately 372 million years ago.
A notable example is the fossil of Elkinsia polymorpha, discovered in West Virginia, USA. This plant had seed-bearing shoots—an innovative evolutionary feature at that time, according to the University of California, Berkeley’s Museum of Paleontology. Additionally, scientists have found numerous other ancient seed fossils in Europe and China.
According to Professor Gerhard Leubner, a plant biochemist at Royal Holloway, University of London, plants began developing seeds shortly after they transitioned from aquatic to terrestrial environments, around 450 million years ago.
Horse chestnut seeds. (Source: Getty Images).
Initially, the world was dominated by ferns that reproduced via spores, from which seed plants evolved.
Some ancient plant species, such as mosses, algae, and ferns, still maintain the spore reproduction method. Spores are single cells containing the DNA of the parent plant, while seeds are a more complex structure formed from the combination of pollen from male plants and ovules from female plants.
Spores require high humidity to survive, whereas seeds have a sturdy protective coating and the ability to store nutrients, allowing them to adapt to various habitats.
Leubner explains: “Seeds are not only more resilient than spores but can also survive harsh conditions thanks to their protective coating and energy storage capabilities.”
The Superior Advantages of Seeds
Seeds can “hibernate,” postponing germination until conditions are favorable. This flexibility allows them to survive and thrive in diverse environments, from arid deserts to lush forests.
Charles Knight, an evolutionary plant biologist at California Polytechnic State University, states that the dormant state is the “secret weapon” of seeds. “They can move not only through space but also through time. Seeds can lie dormant in the soil for hundreds, even thousands of years before germinating,” Knight shares.
