Ross Hoddinott / 2020VISION / English oak tree {Quercus robur} acorn sprouting a fresh shoot, Beacon Hill Country Park, The National Forest, Leicestershire, UK, November. Did you know? In Norse legend the Oak tree was sacred to T...

Nature Production / Sunflower {Helianthus annuus} shoots pushing up a stone as they germinate, Japan

Tony Evans / Avocado fruit growing shoots, leaves and roots {Persea americana}

Jabruson / 'Liamba' seedlings (Desplatsia dewevrei) sprouting from African Forest Elephant dung (Loxodonta africana cyclotis) Bai Hokou, Dzanga-Ndoki National Park, Central African Republic.

Dave Watts / Seeds contained in faeces of Southern cassowary (Casuarius casuarius) sprouting on rainforest floor, World Heritage National Park rainforest of the Wet Tropics, north Queensland, Australia

Dave Watts / Seeds contained in faeces of Southern cassowary (Casuarius casuarius) sprouting on rainforest floor, World Heritage National Park rainforest of the Wet Tropics, north Queensland, Australia

Laurie Campbell / Horse chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum) germinating, Isle of Rum National Nature Reserve, Inner Hebrides, Scotland, May

Colin Varndell / Sweet chestnut (Castanea sativa) fruit opening on forest floor, Dorset, UK, September

Gary K. Smith / Hardening off (acclimatising indoor-grown seedlings to outdoor conditions) broad bean (Phaseolus) and sweet pea plants. Norfolk, England, April.

Gary K. Smith / Mistletoe (Viscum album) seed deposited by bird on apple tree, showing embryo roots attached to bark. Norfolk, England, April.

Colin Varndell / Ash (Fraxinus excelsior) seedlings in woodland leaf litter. Wiltshire, UK, May.

Robert Thompson / Comfrey (Symphytum officinale) growing through leaf litter. Plitvice National Park, Croatia, May 2010.

Nature Production / Konara Oak (Quercus serrata) acorn seed rooting to pass through the winter, Japan

Nature Production / Chameleon Plant (Houttuynia cordata) seeds germinating, Kyushu, Japan

Nature Production / Rice (Oryza sativa) grain germinating with shoot and roots 25 days after sowing seeds, Shiga, Japan, sequence 4/4

Nature Production / Beach Pea (Lathyrus japonicus ssp. Japonicus) germinating in sand, Kyushu, Japan, April

Nature Production / Amaranth / Josephs Coat (Amaranthus tricolor) seeds germinating

Nature Production / Maize / corn plant (Zea mays) seed germinating, shoot and root clearly visible

Nature Production / Rice (Oryza sativa) grain germinating with shoot and roots 15 days after sowing seeds, Shiga, Japan, sequence 3/4

Nature Production / Rice (Oryza sativa) grain germinating with shoot and root 8 days after sowing seeds, Shiga, Japan, sequence 2/4

Nature Production / Rice (Oryza sativa) grain germinating with shoot and root 3 days after sowing seeds, Shiga, Japan, sequence 1/4

Nature Production / Rice (Oryza sativa) grain germinating with shoot and root 3 days after sowing seeds, Shiga, Japan

Nature Production / Taro (Colocasia esculenta) shoots sprouting from tuber, hydroponic cultivation, Japan

Nature Production / Potato shoots (Solanum tuberosum) sprouting from potato tuber, hydroponic cultivation, Japan

Nature Production / Potato shoots (Solanum tuberosum) sprouting from potato tubers, hydroponic cultivation, Japan

Nature Production / Sunflower seed (Helianthus annuus) growth of leaves and flower, Japan, sequence 8/8

Nature Production / Sunflower seed (Helianthus annuus) growth of leaves, Japan, sequence 7/8

Nature Production / Sunflower seed (Helianthus annuus) growth of leaves, Japan, sequence 6/8

Nature Production / Sunflower seed (Helianthus annuus) germinating, growth of primary root and cotyledons, seed leaves, Japan, sequence 5/8

Nature Production / Sunflower seed (Helianthus annuus) germinating, growth of primary root and cotyledons, Japan, sequence 4/8

Nature Production / Sunflower seed (Helianthus annuus) germinating, growth of primary root, Japan, sequence 3/8

Nature Production / Sunflower seed (Helianthus annuus) germinating, growth of primary root, Japan, sequence 2/8

Nature Production / Sunflower seed (Helianthus annuus) germinating, growth of primary root, Japan, sequence 1/8

Ross Hoddinott / 2020VISION / English oak tree {Quercus robur} acorn sprouting a fresh shoot on fallen leaves, Beacon Hill Country Park, The National Forest, Leicestershire, UK, November

Ross Hoddinott / 2020VISION / English oak tree {Quercus robur} acorns, one sprouting a fresh shoot, Beacon Hill Country Park, The National Forest, Leicestershire, UK, November

Jouan & Rius / Young shoot growing from Suicide Tree fruit (Cerbera odollam) Borneo, Sarawak, Malaysia

Edwin Giesbers / Carpet of Bluebells (Hyacinthoides non-scripta / Endymion scriptum) flowering in Beech wood with Sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus) sapling, Hallerbos, Belgium, April

Edwin Giesbers / Carpet of Bluebells (Hyacinthoides non-scripta / Endymion scriptum) flowering in Beech wood with Sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus) sapling, Hallerbos, Belgium, April

Aflo / N-2002 Beech tree seedling {Fagus sp}

Philippe Clement / Oak (Quercus robur) acorns germinating on forest floor in autumn, Belgium

Tim Laman / Coconut palm seedling (Cocos nucifera) germinating in sand on the beach, Turtle Islands, Sabah, Malaysia.

Pete Oxford / Symbolic photo of reforestation, plants held in hand growing from seeds, Ecuador 2005

Matthew Maran / Palm tree seedling growing on beach, Turtle Islands National Park, Sabah, Malaysia

Jean E. Roche / Seeds transported by Wood ant {Formica rufa} germinating on ant hill. Jura, France

Michael Hutchinson / Bluebells (Hyacinthoides non-scripta) new growth pushing through leaf litter on woodland floor, North Somerset UK

Juergen Freund / Mangrove nursery, Danjugan Island, Philippines

Nature Production / First seed leaf of germinating Morning Glory {Ipomoea nil} Japan

Nature Production / Common Bean {Phaseolus vulgaris} germinating seed has strength to raise a stone, Japan

Nature Production / Mouse-ear Chickweed {Cerastium holosteoides var. hallaisanense} germinating under a fallen leaf in autumn, Japan

Nature Production / Japanese Oak acorn budding {Quercus crispula} Japan

Nature Production / Common Bean {Phaseolus vulgaris} seed germinating, Japan

Martha Holmes / Mangrove shoots growing in larva field {R. mangle} Isabella, Galapagos

Pete Oxford / Amazonian hog nose pit viper {Porthidium hyoprora} beside rainforest seedling, Amazonia, Ecuador

Gary K. Smith / Garden still life - potting shed with runner bean seeds, seedling potatoes and shallots

Gary K. Smith / Planting seed potatoes (Solanum tuberosum) in spring, UK

Gary K. Smith / Planting seed potatoes (Solanum tuberosum) in spring, UK

David Welling / Seeds germinating on rainforest floor, Canaima NP, Venezuela, South America

Chris Gomersall / Sessile oak, acorns sprouting amongst leaf litter {Quercus petraea} Wales, UK

Andrew Parkinson / Ash tree sapling {Fraxinus excelsior} growing from post in a lake, Derbyshire, UK

Staffan Widstrand / New Rainforest sapling growing within stump of dead tree, Manaus, Brazil, South America

Jose B. Ruiz / Pine tree {Pinus} germinating on forest floor, Spain. Seed leaves

Adam White / Broad Bean {Vicia faba} with developing root, sequence 2/3.

Adam White / Broad Bean {Vicia faba} seed, germinating sequence 3/3 Note - developing root visible

Adam White / Broad Bean {Vicia faba} with developing root, sequence 3/3.

Adam White / Broad Bean {Vicia faba} with developing root, sequence 1/3.

Martin Gabriel / Desert lily germinating in rainy season, Namib desert, Namibia

Adam White / Germinating Broad bean seed {Vicia faba} with developing root

Adam White / Germinating Broad bean {Vicia faba} developing root and sprouting shoot, UK.

Adam White / Germinating Broad bean {Vicia faba} developing root, UK.

Mark Taylor / Beech (Fagus sylvatica) seedlings. UK

Ben Osborne / Coconut palm tree growing from seed washed up on beach, Cape York, Queensland, Australia

Jean E. Roche / Pine tree seedling on black marl, Baronnies, France

Niall Benvie / Scots pine tree seedling Scotland (Pinus sylvestris)

Pete Oxford / New shoot of plant germinating in Atlantic rainforest, NE Brazil

GEORGETTE DOUWMA / English oak tree seedling sprouting from acorn {Quercus robur} UK

Niall Benvie / Scots pine tree {Pinus sylvestris} natural regeneration amongst heather. Abernethy RSPB reserve, Scotland UK

Duncan Mcewan / Male hazel catkins and female inflorescence (Corylus avellana), March. UK, Europe

Duncan Mcewan / Beech seeds germinating, April, Scotland, UK

Duncan Mcewan / Beech seeds germinating. (Fagus sylvatica) Scotland, UK April

David Kjaer / Giant sequoia trees showing fire damage to bark. Thick bark protects tree from heat and fire is important for the germination of seeds. Sequoia NP, California, USA

David Kjaer / Giant sequoia trees showing fire damage on trunks - fire is important for the germination of seeds and the thick bark protects the tree from heat of fire. Sequoia NP, California, USA {Sequoidendron gi...

Niall Benvie / Unfurling frond of bracken (Pteridium aquilinum) Scotland

GEORGETTE DOUWMA / English oak seedling showing roots and leaves {Quercus robur} UK

Nigel Bean / Pine trees growing on old lava beds, Sunset Crater Volcano NM, volcano in background, Arizona, USA

Fabio Liverani / Sunflower seedling's first leaves breaking from seed shell, Italy

GEORGETTE DOUWMA / English oak tree acorn seedling sprouting from acorn {Quercus robur} UK Sequence 2/2

GEORGETTE DOUWMA / English oak tree acorn seedling sprouting from acorn {Quercus robur} UK Sequence 1/2