Parts of Carnation Flower

Flowers help plants reproduce. Some plants have separate male and female flowers that must be pollinated with the help of insects or other outside forces. The carnation has both male and female reproductive organs in each flower, which make pollination much easier.

Calyx

The outer green but petal-like structures that make up the bud of the flower are known as the calyx. It is made of sepals, which are similar to petals, but stronger and have photosynthesis abilities.

Corolla

The petals collectively make up the corolla. In carnations, these petals come in a wide array of colors natually and may also change color if food coloring is added to their water source. The petals in a carnation are soft and delicate and tend to be somewhat ruffled, although they may be more smooth in certain species of the flower.

Androecium

The male reproductive organs of a flower are known as the androecium. The male organs create pollen, which can be dispersed into the female organs and then produce seeds. In a carnation, the stamen is made of a filament that is topped by a small, fuzzy anther that produces the pollen. These organs are in the base of the petals in the body of the flower.

Gynoecium (Outter)

The female organs of a flower make up the gynoecium or carpal. The female organs consist of a sticky stigma receptor organ and a style, which transports the pollen into the ovary. The stigma and style are in the bottom of the petals and near the anthers on the outer part of the flower.

Gynoecium (Inner)

The ovary and ovules are located inside of the calyx. The ovary serves as a protective area to sheathe the ovules, which are the actual impregnable egg cells of the plant. When injected with pollen, the female ovules become “pregnant” and develop seeds, which may then grow in to new carnations.