Skill:
• Drawing of half-views of animal-pollinated flowers
Flowers are the reproductive organs of angiospermophytes (flowering plants) and contain male and female structures
- Most flowers possess both male and female structures (monoecious), but some may only possess one structure (dioecious)
Structure of a Flower
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Flower Structures
The male part of the flower is called the stamen and is composed of:
- Anther – pollen producing organ of the flower (pollen is the male gamete of a flowering plant)
- Filament – slender stalk supporting the anther (makes the anther accessible to pollinators)
The female part of the flower is called the pistil (or carpel) and is composed of:
- Stigma – the sticky, receptive tip of the pistil that is responsible for catching the pollen
- Style – the tube-shaped connection between the stigma and ovule (it elevates the stigma to help catch pollen)
- Ovule – the structure that contains the female reproductive cells (after fertilisation, it will develop into a seed)
In addition to these reproductive structures, flowers possess a number of other support structures:
- Petals – brightly coloured modified leaves, which function to attract pollinators
- Sepal – Outer covering which protects the flower when in bud
- Peduncle – Stalk of the flower
Simplified Flower Drawing
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