The eggs of seed plants are fertilized within ovules, and the ovules then develop into __________.

• A. spores
• B. gametophytes
• C. fruit
• D. ovaries
• E. seeds

Answer: (E)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the process of fertilization in seed plants: Fertilization occurs when a sperm cell from pollen unites with an egg cell within the ovule.
2. Recognize that the ovule is a structure within the plant that contains the female gametophyte, which includes the egg cell.
3. After fertilization, the ovule undergoes a transformation where it develops into a seed. This seed contains the embryo, which is the result of the fertilized egg.
4. Differentiate between the terms: spores, gametophytes, fruit, ovaries, and seeds. Spores are reproductive cells that can develop into a new organism without fertilization. Gametophytes are the haploid phase in the plant life cycle that produces gametes. Fruit is the mature ovary of a flower, often containing seeds. Ovaries are the part of the flower that contains ovules.
5. Conclude that the correct term for what ovules develop into after fertilization is 'seeds', as they contain the embryo and are the result of the fertilization process within the ovule.