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How are gnetophytes different from most gymnosperms in their xylem?
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Gymnosperm
Pine cone and exposed seeds of the pinyon pine (Pinus edulis). Pinyon pines are gymnosperms and bear their edible seeds, known as pine nuts, in protective cones instead of fruit.
Gnetophytes are distinguished from most other gymnosperms by the presence of vessels in their xylem.12
While the xylem of most gymnosperms consists exclusively of primitive, water-conducting cells called tracheids, gnetophytes possess vessel members. These vessel members are characterized by perforations in their end walls, which allow for a more efficient pathway for water movement compared to the tracheids found in other gymnosperm divisions. This structural feature is typically associated with angiosperms, leading to scientific interest in the evolutionary relationship between gnetophytes and flowering plants.13245