Simone Lawson
Flowers are the reproductive parts of plants. They are involved in sexual reproduction and help in the union of male and female gametes. The female part of the flower is called the pistil, which is made up of the stigma, style, and ovary. The stigma is located at the top, followed by the style, and the ovary at the bottom. The stigma is a sticky surface that captures pollen from other flowers, which is then carried down to the ovary through the style. The ovary contains the eggs, which reside in ovules. If an egg is fertilized, the ovule develops into a seed.
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What You'll Learn
The pistil, the female reproductive part of a flower
The pistil is the female reproductive part of a flower. It is usually located in the centre of the flower and is typically shaped like a bowling pin. The pistil is made up of three parts: the stigma, the style, and the ovary.
The stigma is the top, pollen-receptive part of the pistil. It is often sticky to capture pollen from other flowers, sometimes carried by pollinators such as bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. The stigma is connected to the ovary by the style. The style is a narrow stalk or tube that sits between the stigma and the ovary.
The ovary is the lower part of the pistil and contains the eggs, which reside in ovules. If an egg is fertilised, the ovule develops into a seed. The ovary may also become the fruit.
Pistillate flowers possess a functional pistil but lack stamens, the male reproductive parts of the flower. Plants with imperfect flowers, which lack either stamens or pistils, are further classified as monoecious or dioecious. Monoecious plants have separate male and female flowers on the same plant, such as corn and pecan. Some monoecious plants, like cucumbers and squash, only bear male flowers at the beginning of the growing season and later develop both sexes.
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The stigma, style and ovary
Flowers are the female reproductive organs of plants. They are the sole sexual organs of the plant, and their beauty and fragrance have evolved to attract pollinators, which are essential to the reproductive process.
The stigma, style, and ovary are the three parts of a flower's pistil, the female reproductive organ. The stigma is located at the top of the pistil and is a sticky surface that receives pollen. Pollination occurs when pollen is transferred from the anther to the stigma, usually by a pollinator such as an insect, bird, or bat. The stigma contains a chemical that stimulates the pollen to grow a long tube down the style to the ovary, where it releases sperm. The style is the narrowed region between the stigma and the ovary. The ovary is at the base of the pistil and contains the ovules, which become seeds if fertilized. The seeds develop inside the ovary, and the fruit is the thickened ovary wall surrounding the seeds.
The ovary is the female element of the flower, producing the gametes or sex cells. The male equivalent is the anther, which produces pollen, containing the male sex cells or gametes. The male parts of the flower are called the stamens and consist of the anther and the filament, which supports the anther. The stigma, style, and ovary are, therefore, essential to the reproductive process, as the stigma receives the pollen, and fertilization occurs when the pollen grows down the style to the ovary, releasing sperm to fertilize the eggs inside the ovary.
The stigma, style, and ovary are all vital components of the plant's reproductive system, and their structure and function ensure the survival of the species.
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The role of pollination
The female reproductive parts of a flower are collectively called the pistil. The pistil is made up of three parts: the stigma, the style, and the ovary. The stigma is located at the top of the pistil and is connected by the style to the ovary. The stigma is a sticky surface that receives the pollen, while the ovary contains eggs, which reside in ovules. If an egg is fertilized, the ovule develops into a seed.
Pollination is essential for the production of seeds and fruits in most flowering plants, including many of our edible crops. The pollen, containing male sex cells or gametes, stimulates the growth of a pollen tube that travels down the style to the ovules inside the ovary. When the pollen reaches the ovules, it releases sperm, leading to fertilization. This process results in the development of seeds and the formation of fruits.
The role of pollinators is vital in this process, as they facilitate the transfer of pollen between flowers. Certain plants, such as watermelons, require specific pollinators like bumblebees and native bees to ensure successful reproduction and fruit set. Pollinators, in turn, benefit from the nectar produced by the flowers, which serves as a nutritious food source.
Overall, the role of pollination is critical in the sexual reproduction of flowering plants. It ensures the transfer of pollen to the female reproductive parts, leading to fertilization, seed production, and the development of fruits. The intricate relationship between flowers and pollinators has evolved to ensure the survival and propagation of various plant species.
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The male and female parts of a flower
Flowers are the sole sexual reproductive organs of plants. They are often the showiest part of a plant, having evolved to attract insects, animals or birds to aid in the pollination process.
The male parts of a flower are called the stamens. These are made up of the anther at the top and the stalk or filament that supports the anther. The anther produces pollen, which contains the male sex cells or gametes. The pollen is available for dispersal by wind, insects, or birds.
The female elements of a flower are collectively called the pistil. The top of the pistil is called the stigma, which is a sticky surface designed to trap pollen. The stigma is connected by the style to the ovary at the bottom, with the entire structure shaped like a bowling pin or a vase. The ovary contains eggs, which reside in ovules. If an egg is fertilized, the ovule develops into a seed. Many of the fruits we eat are the thickened ovary walls surrounding the seeds.
A flower that contains both functional stamens and pistils is called a perfect flower, even if it does not contain petals and sepals. If either the stamen or pistil is lacking, the flower is called imperfect. Pistillate (female) flowers possess a functional pistil or pistils but lack stamens. Staminate (male) flowers contain stamens but no pistils.
An easy way to tell male and female flowers apart is by looking at their size and quantity. Male blossoms are often smaller and more numerous than female blossoms. Another way to differentiate is that female blossoms have immature fruit behind the flower, whereas the stems of male flowers are plain and thin.
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The process of fertilisation
The female reproductive part of a flower is called the pistil. The top of the pistil is called the stigma, which is a sticky surface that receives pollen. The stigma is connected to the ovary by the style. The ovary contains eggs, which reside in ovules. If an egg is fertilized, the ovule develops into a seed.
Once the pollen lands on the stigma, it starts to germinate within 2 to 3 minutes. It grows a tiny tube, called a pollen tube, all the way down the style to the ovary. This pollen tube acts as a pathway for sperm to reach the egg cell. The pollen tube reaches the ovule within 15 to 60 minutes after it starts growing. When the pollen reaches the ovule, it releases its sperm, and fertilisation occurs.
Fertilisation is the union of a male sperm nucleus from a pollen grain with a female egg, forming a single fertilised cell called a zygote. This zygote contains a normal complement of chromosomes, with some from each parent flower. The fertilised ovule then develops into a seed, which contains an embryo that will later grow into a new plant. The ovary also develops into a fruit to protect the seed.
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Frequently asked questions
The pistil is the female reproductive part of a flower.
The pistil consists of the stigma, style, and ovary. The stigma is located at the top of the pistil and is a sticky surface that captures pollen. The style is a stalk that connects the stigma to the ovary. The ovary is the enlarged base of the pistil that contains the egg cells and produces the seeds.
The female reproductive parts of a flower are involved in seed production. When pollen reaches the ovary, it combines with the female gamete to form a seed.
