Reproduction in Flowers and Genetics

Tuesday, March 14 Why do some plants have flowers? List all the reasons you can think of.

Remember the squash plants Remember the squash plants? They were especially cool because they had these giant flowers… Zucchini Squash Summer Squash

Then little squash fruits began to grow where some of the flowers were Then little squash fruits began to grow where some of the flowers were. Other flowers just shriveled up. (notice the “shriveled flower” on the end of the squash?) Zucchini Squash Summer Squash

Some other observations I have made… Squash have two different kinds of flowers on each plant: The little bulge is the part that turns into a squash fruit One kind has a little bulge underneath the flower – the other doesn’t

Some other observations I have made… The flowers without the bulge shrivel up within just a couple days after opening. The flowers with a bulge close up, then a fruit starts to form underneath the flower in a couple days.

Some other observations I have made… The flowers have fuzzy “antennae” like things inside The things inside look different in the two kinds of different flowers.

Some other observations I have made… Bees love to go inside both kinds of flowers. Squash that are grown in huge fields with all the same species of plant do not have the mixed green and yellow fruits – they are all the same.