Ancient Species

Seed Plants

The earliest seed plants produced their seed along their branches without any special structures such as flowers or cones. The first such plants appeared late in the Devonian Period (about 354 million years ago).

During the Carboniferous Period (354 to 286 million years ago) , seed plants multiplied in number and diversity but they were greatly overshadowed by seedless plants such as scale trees. Large trees appeared in the Permian Period (286 to 248 million years ago).

All of the major types of seed plants, except flowing plants, had developed by the end of the Triassic Period (213 million years ago).