Flower Anatomy

“You may think of flowers as decorative objects that brighten the world, but the presence of so many flowers in the world is visible evidence of something else – the stunning evolutionary success of angiosperms, or flowering plants.”

Flower Anatomy Flowers are reproductive organs that are composed of four kinds of specialized leaves: 1.Sepals 2.Petals 3.Stamens 4.Carpel (sometimes called the Pistil)

Sepals Sepals are the outermost circle of floral parts. A. often green and resemble ordinary leaves B. they protect the flower while it is developing

Rose Buds

Petals Petals are found just inside the sepals ~ often brightly colored ~ attract insects and other pollinators (and people!) to the flower

Petals Within the ring of petals are the reproductive parts of the flower.

Reproductive Structures Many flowers contain both male and female reproductive parts! ~Male parts are the stamen. ~Female parts are the carpel.

Male Parts: Stamen The stamen is composed of 2 parts: 1.Filament: long stalk that supports an anther. 2. Anther: tip of filament where the pollen is located.

Pollen is essentially the sperm of a flower so it is located on the male part of the flower: the stamen.

Female Parts: Carpel The Carpel is composed of 3 parts: 1. Ovary: base containing the eggs of a plant 2. Style: the stalk 3. Stigma: a sticky top used to capture pollen.

Coral Honeysuckle

Plant Reproduction Once the stigma of the carpel (female part) is pollinated by pollen (sperm), seeds can be made.

Plant Reproduction Seeds can then be spread by animals or by the wind to new locations to grow into new plants!

Orange Tree Flowers

Pollinated Orange Flower