How Flowering Plants Reproduce

Flowers

In flowering plants, the flower houses the reproductive structures of the plant. The sepals are the protective outer housing of the plant, which open to reveal the corolla, or flower petals. The flower petals are designed to attract insects and birds, which aid in the pollination process; a process crucial to reproduction. Nestled close together in the center of the flower petals are the androecium, which are the male reproductive organs, and the gynoecium, which are the female reproductive organs.

Androecium

The androecium, or male part of the flower, is composed of long, thin stalks called stamen. The stamen contain anthers, which themselves contain pollen sacs. Each anther contains four pollen sacs, which double as they mature, leaving eight pollen grains per anther. When the pollen grains are mature, the anther splits open, and the sticky pollen is released onto the stamen.

Gynoecium

The gynoecium is often called the pistil. It is located directly in the center of the flower and is surrounded by stamen. The pistil is composed of a stigma, which is a long tube leading down to the carpels, which house the ovum. The movement of insects on a flower, or even the wind, can transfer pollen spores from the stamen to the stigma. When a pollen grain lands on the stigma, it sends a tube down the stigma and fertilizes the ovule that waits at the bottom. The ovule then begins to develop into a seed, and the carpel protects the seed by developing into a fleshy mass--more commonly called fruit. The fruit then drops to the ground, releasing the seeds, or rots, leaving the seeds to be dispersed on the wind, or animals eat the fruit and void the seeds later in a new location.