CHAPTER 4: THE PLANT STYLE POSITION

In plants, reproduction can be accomplished by sexual and asexual means.

Asexual reproduction may happen through budding, fragmentation, fission, spore

formation and vegetative propagation (new plant grows from a fragment of the parent
plant).

Majority of the flowering plants (Angiosperms) reproduce sexually. The flower is the
reproductive part of a plant i.e., both male and female gametes are produced by
flowers. Sexual reproduction in plants takes place in flowers. The complete flower
typically consists of four parts:

• Petals
• Sepals
• Stamen (male reproductive part)
• Pistil/Carpel (female reproductive part)

Flower Anatomy: The Parts of a Flower

Source: https://www.proflowers.com/blog/flower-anatomy

Petal
Petals are what give a flower its unique shape, and are often brightly colored to attract
insects and critters, which unwittingly aid in the fertilization of ovules through
pollination.
Sepal
These are the small, leaf-like parts growing at the base of the petals. They serve to
protect the flower before it blossoms.
Peduncle
This refers to the stem or stalk of a flower.
Receptacle
This is the thickened part at the bottom of the flower which holds its major organs.
Pistil
This is the female organ of the flower. It consists of four major parts:

1. Stigma – The head of the pistil. The stigma receives pollen, which will begin
the process of fertilization.
2. Style – This is the name for the stalk of the pistil. When pollen reaches the
stigma, it begins to grow a tube through the style called a pollen tube, which will
eventually reach the ovary. The style therefore acts as a buffer against pollen
contamination, since only compatible pollen is able to grow a pollen tube.
3. Ovary – The base of the pistil. This organ holds the ovules awaiting fertilization.

*Fruits – ripened ovary or ovaries together with seeds. Fruits develop after
fertilization.

4. Ovules – These are the flower’s egg cells, located inside the ovary. Upon
fertilization by pollen, they will eventually grow into a seed. In fruit plants, pollen
will not only trigger the growth of a seed, but a surrounding fruit as well.

Stamen
This is the male organ of the flower, consisting of two major parts:

1. Anther – The head of the stamen. The anther is responsible for the production
of pollen, which will hopefully be transported to the pistil by animals or insects,
such as bees. This is a crucial part of the reproduction of the plant.

*Pollen – a fine to coarse powdery substance comprising pollen grains, which

produce male gametes (sperm cells).

2. Filament – This is the stalk that holds the anther and attaches it to the flower.

Making More Flowers

It’s amazing for nature to provide a flower with the ability to reproduce without the need
for a mate, but not all of them do!
Some flowers have only male or female organs, and require a separate flower of the
opposite gender to reproduce. We call these Imperfect Flowers. Perfect Flowers,
on the other hand, have both a stamen and a pistil, and are able to reproduce on their
own (self-pollination).