Flowers & Pollination

What is a Flower? A flower is the part of the plant that makes the seeds.

Parts of a Flower

Male Parts of a Flower

Male Parts of the Flower Stamen: Male part of the flower Made up of the filament and anther Contains the pollen which is the male reproductive cell Anther produces and contains pollen. It is usually on top of a long stalk that looks like a fine hair. Filament Holds the anther This is the fine hair-like stalk that the anther sits on top of.

Anther Filament

Female Parts of a Flower

Female Parts of the Flower Pistil Female part of the flower Made up of the stigma, style, and ovary. Stigma Receives the pollen grains and on which they germinate. It is the sticky bulb that you see in the center of the flowers Style This is the long tube connecting the stigma to the ovary. Ovary Female reproductive organ. Usually at the bottom of the flower, Has the seeds inside and turns into the fruit that we eat. Contains ovules or eggs.

Ovary Stigma Style

Other Important Parts of a Flower Petal The colorful, often bright part of the flower. They attract pollinators and are usually the reason why we buy and enjoy flowers. Sepal The parts that look like little green leaves that cover the outside of a flower bud to protect the flower before it opens.

What is Pollination Pollination: the transfer of pollen from the anther of one flower to the stigma of another flower. Fertilization: occurs when the sperm in the pollen unites with an egg.

Pollinators Since flowers can't move, they need to be able to attract pollinators or be built so that wind is able to pollinate them. Pollinators! Wind Butterflies Bees Bats Birds Insects Flowers attract pollinators with sweet nectar, bright colors, and shapes and structures. Some flowers open at special times to attract pollinators such as night blooming plants that are pollinated by bats.

How Pollination Happens The bee goes to a flower in search of nectar to eat. While the bee is there, the bee rubs against the anther and some pollen gets on his bee fur. The bees goes to another flower for some more nectar. While on that flower, some of the pollen sticks to the sticky stigma. The pollen travels down the style into the ovary. The sperm in the pollen fertilizes the eggs in the ovary to form seeds.

Flower Parts You Need to Know stamen – male part (anther & filament) anther – makes pollen filament – hair-like structure; hold up the anther pistil – female part (stigma, style, ovary) stigma – sticky; catches pollen style – tube that pollen travels down ovary – contains eggs pollen – yellow powder; fertilizes eggs seeds – makes new flowers pollinators – wind, insects, bees, bats, birds

Angiosperm Angiosperm – is plant that has flowers and produces seeds enclosed within a pistil. The angiosperms are a large group and include herbaceous plants, shrubs, grasses, and most trees. Angiosperms are the most diverse group of land plants, with 416 families.

Video Pollination https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kt-qkAcvm1Y Pollinators https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LiczM-w3V-U Pollination Time Lapse https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWC2NfXpbTQ (music only)