Slide 1
Alternation of generations in the pines is marked by a completely reduced gametophyte and completely prominent sporophyte.
Most of the conifers, such as a pine tree, are monoecious - male and female cones are found on the same tree.
The male cone produces the pollen and the female cone produces an egg.
The pollen must get to a female cone (typically on a different tree) for fertilization to take place.
When the sperm fertilizes the egg the zygote forms and grows into the multicellular sporophyte.
This life cycle differs from vascular seedless plants because the embryo spends time housed within a seed.
The seed then germinates and grows into a new pine tree.
Slide 2
The pines are monoecious - both male and female cones are found on the same tree.
In this image the male pollen producing cones are on the bottom and the female egg producing cones are at the top.
Slide 3
The seeds that are produced by the pines and other gymnosperms are "naked" - they are not covered in fruit like the seeds of the angiosperms are.
The seeds come from the female cone and house the developing embryo.
You may have cooked with or eaten pine nuts - they are the seeds of pine trees.