Angiosperms (flower -bearing ) plants developed after gymnosperms (cone bearing) plants during the Mesozoic era. Which of the following is a benefit to plants developing the ability to have flowers over cones? Flower-bearing plants have a longer life-span, whereas cone-bearing plants mature faster and die quicker . Flower-bearing plants have fruits that are more likely to be picked up and scattered by animals than cones. Flower-bearing plants are mainly pollinated by wind, whereas cone-bearing plants depend on animals and insects for pollination . Flower- bearing plants have flowers that are either male or female , making fertilization easier, but cones have both male and female structures . D