Which one of the following is the characteristic feature of gymnosperms? 

The correct answer is Seeds are naked

Explanation:

• Gymnosperms are a group of seed-producing plants that include conifers, cycads, Ginkgo, and gnetophytes.
• The term "gymnosperm" comes from Greek words meaning "naked seed"
• The gymnosperms are plants in which the ovules are not enclosed by any ovary wall and remain exposed, both before and after fertilisation.
• The seeds that develop post-fertilisation, are not covered, i.e., are naked.
• Gymnosperms are vascular plants, meaning they have specialized tissues for transporting water and nutrients.
• They are predominantly woody trees and shrubs and are adapted to survive in various climatic conditions.

Other Options

• Seeds are enclosed in fruits: This statement refers to angiosperms, which are flowering plants. In angiosperms, seeds develop inside fruits formed from the ovary after fertilization.
• Seeds are absent: Gymnosperms are seed-producing plants.Plants without seeds are typically non-vascular plants like mosses or vascular plants like ferns, which reproduce via spores.
• Gymnosperms have flowers for reproduction: Flowers are a characteristic feature of angiosperms, not gymnosperms.