What are the purposes of enclosed seeds inside plants?

The main purpose of a seed is reproduction, so seeds are sometimes enclosed for protection. The seed is a structure formed from the maturation of the ovule of the angiosperm. Angiosperms are flowering plants that have seeds enclosed within fruits. The term angiosperm means “enclosed seed” or “covered seed.” Seeds within a fruit are protected by the fruit to allow for dispersal. A fruit signals maturity by its color, texture, fragrance, and taste. This lets an animal know it is ready to eat. These seeds have a protective coating to be able to withstand the digestive system in animals. Since animals are not stationary, the seed will be released in a different spot than where it was consumed. This allows a wider dispersal of the seed so more plants will be able to grow and then reproduce. Seed dispersal is important because there are limited resources such as food, water, and space in a given area. This limits the number of that plant that can survive and reproduce. So, some seeds are encapsulated to be able to be safely transported to a new area.