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How many cotyledons can a conifer embryo have?

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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.

At maturity, a conifer embryo typically has several cotyledons, which are the seed leaves of the plant. While the number of cotyledons in gymnosperms is highly variable, conifers commonly have eight, though some species may have as many as 18 or even up to 20 or more. Unlike some other gymnosperms, such as cycads and Ginkgo, which possess only two cotyledons that remain within the seed, conifer cotyledons typically emerge from the seed coat and become photosynthetic.12