To which kingdom do gymnosperms belong?

Gymnosperms belong to the kingdom Plantae, which encompasses all plants. This kingdom is characterized by organisms that are primarily photosynthetic, possessing cell walls made of cellulose, and having complex structures like roots, stems, and leaves. Gymnosperms specifically are a group of seed-producing plants that include conifers, cycads, ginkgo, and gnetophytes. They are distinct for their naked seeds, which are not enclosed in an ovary, unlike angiosperms (flowering plants).

The other kingdoms listed consist of different types of organisms. Animalia includes multicellular eukaryotic organisms that are heterotrophic, meaning they obtain their food by consuming other organisms. Fungi comprises organisms that absorb nutrients from their environment through external digestion and have a chitin-based cell wall. Protista serves as a diverse kingdom of mostly unicellular organisms, which can be autotrophic or heterotrophic but do not fit cleanly into the other kingdoms. Therefore, the classification of gymnosperms within Plantae is appropriate given their characteristics as seed-bearing, photosynthetic organisms.