In this module, you will learn:
- identify and state the functions of the different parts of an insect-pollinated flower
- identify the male and female parts of a flower
Resources to help you:
- Textbook: page 128, 129, 130 and 131
- Notebook: page 33
What is reproduction?
Reproduction is the process of producing new individuals with the same characteristics as their parents to ensure that the species to become extinct.
The flower of a plant is an important structure that helps in the reproduction process of a plant.
Flowering plants reproduce from seeds.
Credit: @weerapat via Depositphotos
Watch the video
Learn about the different parts of a flower.
Note: The term pistil is the same as the carpel.
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJ5K78_TIEY
You can change the speed to 0.75x to make it easier to listen.
A pink rose showing it's petals and sepals
Credit: StockUnlimited
A hibiscus showing its stamens and carpel
Credit: StockUnlimited
A bud of a rose protected by its sepals
Credit: @pippocarlot via YayImages
The purple petals of the Sweet William flower
Credit: StockUnlimited
The different parts of the flower
The flower can be divided into these different parts:
- petals
- sepals
- stamen (the male part of the flower)
- carpel (the female part of the flower)
The petals are usually brightly coloured. One of their function is to attract insects for pollination.
The sepals are leaves that protect the flower before it opens.
The Stamen
The stamen is the male part of the flower.
It consists of the anther and filament.
The function of the anther is to produce pollen grains. Pollen grains are the male sex cells of the flower.
The function of the filament is to support the anther. It is a long thin stalk connecting the anther to the base of the flower.
The anthers and filaments of the Solandra Maxima flower
Credit: @soniabonet via YayImages
A cross section of an okra flower without it's petals
Credit: @jacdephoto via Depositphotos
The Carpel
The carpel is the female part of the flower. It is also known as the pistil.
It consists of the stigma, style and ovary.
The stigma is the part of the flower that receives the pollen grains. It is connected to the style.
The style is a tube-like structure that connects the stigma to the ovary of the flower.
Inside the ovary, it contains the ovules. The ovules are the female sex cells of the flower.
