What term describes a powder-like substance that contains the male gamete in flowering or coniferous plants?

The term that describes a powder-like substance containing the male gamete in flowering or coniferous plants is pollen. Pollen grains are the male gametophytes, which carry the sperm cells responsible for fertilization. In flowering plants, these grains are produced by the anthers of the stamen, and in coniferous plants, they are generated in male cones. The primary function of pollen is to transfer the male gametes to the female parts of flowers or ovules for reproduction.

Seeds, on the other hand, are the result of fertilization and contain the developing plant embryo, so they represent a later stage in the plant life cycle. The stamen refers to the male reproductive structure of a flower, comprising an anther and a filament, while spores are involved in the reproduction of non-flowering plants and fungi and serve a different role in the life cycle. This clarifies why pollen is the correct term for the powder-like substance that contains male gametes.