REPORDUCTION IN FLOWERING PLANTS Reproduction in flowering plants The flower is the reproductive structure of flowering plants.

It contains the male and female sex organs which enables them to exhibit sexual reproduction. Fertilization inside the flower often leads to the production of seeds which are capable of germinating into new plants. Structure of the flower The flower develops on a receptacle, which is the flattened base or just above the pedicel. The pedicel is the stem- like part that carries the flower. The flower is made up of four floral parts that are arranged in circles. These four parts include; 1 2 3 4 the sepals (calyx) the petals (corolla) the stamens (androecium) the carpel/ pistil (gymnoecium)

The sepal- a collection of the sepals is known as the calyx; this consists of the sepals arranged in a circle and is usually small and green in color. The function is to protect the flower during the bud stage. The petal- a collection of the petal is known as the corolla. The petal is inside the calyx and is often the most eye- catching part of the flower. The stamens- these are the male reproductive organs of a flower. Collectively the stamens are called the androecium. Most stamens have; 1 2 a long slender stalk called the filament a swollen end called the anther

Flowers may have three to numerous stamens which may be free or united. In some flowers, the filaments are united, while the anthers are free. The anther is a 2 or 4-lobed structure located on the tip of the filament. Pollen grains are produced in them inside special sacs called pollen sacs. The pollen grains are the male gametes which fuse with the ovules to form embryo. The carpel/pistil- this is the female part of the flower. It consists of one or more carpel/ pistils. Collectively they are called the gynoecium. A carpel is made up of the ovary containing ovules, the stigma which receives the pollen grains and the style which connects the stigma to the ovary. Flowers may be classified according to the number of carpels they have as thus: monocarpous- this refers to a flower with a single carpel polycarpous- this refers to a flower with more than one carpel apocarpous- this refers to a flower with two or more separate carpels syncarpous- this refers to a flower with two or more carpels fused to form a single structure

A typical carpel/ pistil is made up of: one or more ovaries, styles and stigmas.

Ovary- this contains the female gamete known as the ovule. After fertilization, the ovary develops into a fruit, while the ovules develop into seeds. The stigma- this is supported on the style along slender tube that helps project it from the ovary located inside the flower. The stigma is the surface that receives the pollen grain.

Fig 1: A complete fower

Types of flower and position of the ovary An ovary can be describes as superior, half inferior or inferior, depending on its position in the receptacles. Superior ovary- an ovary is described as superior or hypogynous when it is located above the other floral parts of the flower. Half inferior ovary- an ovary is described as half inferior or perigynous when it lies inside a cup-shaped receptacle and the other floral parts appear to be attached slightly above it or almost at the same level. Inferior ovary- an ovary is described as inferior or epigynous when it is located below the floral parts of the flower.

Placentation Placentation is the arrangement of ovules in the ovary of a flower. The placenta is the part of the ovary where ovules are attached. Types of placentation The kinds of placentation are: 1. Marginal placentation- the ovules are attached to the placenta along one margin of the ovary. Examples are beans, cowpea, pride of Barbados 2. Parietal the ovules are attached to the sides of a syncarpous ovary with a single chamber. E.g. pawpaw 3. Axile- the carpels meet in the centre to form the placenta to which the ovules are attached. E.g okro, e.t.c. 4. Free central- The ovules here are borne on a knob which projects from the base of the ovary. E.g. tomato, 5. basal- here the ovules are attached to the base of a syncarpous ovary e.g. sunflower

Fig 2: Arrangement of the floral parts on the receptacle. A. Hypogynous B. Epigynous C. Perigynous

Fig 3: kinds of placentation

Assignment
Define the following terms: i. ii. iii. Complete and incomplete flower Monoecious and dioecious flower Regular and irregular flower.