Which type of plant begins growth each year from seed and completes its life cycle in less than a year?

The type of plant that begins growth each year from seed and completes its life cycle in less than a year is called an annual. Annual plants germinate, grow, flower, set seed, and die all within one growing season. This lifecycle allows them to adapt quickly to changing environmental conditions, making them an important component in various ecosystems as well as in agriculture and gardening.

Perennials, on the other hand, live for multiple years, typically growing and flowering over the seasons, while biennials require two years to complete their lifecycle, producing foliage in the first year and flowering in the second. Evergreen refers to plants that retain their leaves throughout the year, but does not specify the lifecycle duration based on seed growth. Thus, the characteristic of growing from seed to maturity in one year distinctly classifies annuals apart from the other types.