Parts of a Flower

Why flowers are important ?

Flower is the main structure of a plant that involves in reproduction of the plant, which is essential in spread their species. On the other hand, it is the part that gives fruit. Therefore, it is important to know about the parts that make a flower as they all contribute in these processes.

In a flower the female reproductive part is called the Pistil. It has three main parts called, stigma, style and ovary. Stamen is the male reproductive part of a flower. Stamen contains 2 parts. Anther and the filament.

Sexual reproduction takes place in flowers.

Let’s now see the parts of a flower and their functions.

Female parts of a flower

The female reproductive part of a flower is called the Pistil. This is also known as the carpel.

Pistil or carpel contains 3 parts.

• Stigma
• Style
• Ovary

The stigma contains a sticky substance. Its job is to catch the pollen grains. These pollen grains can stick to stigma.

The style is the stalk like thing that holds up the stigma.

Ovary holds ‘ovules’ or eggs. Ovules produce female sex cells.

After fertilization the ovules become the seeds. The ovary becomes the fruit. (Read the lesson ‘Pollination and Fertilization‘)

Male parts of a flower

Stamen is the male reproductive part of a flower.
 

Stamen contains 2 parts.

• Anther
• Filament

Anther holds a yellow dust called pollen grains. Each pollen grain has a male sex cell.

Filament holds up the anther.

Stamens of a natural flower

Other parts

Petals are often very brightly coloured. 

This is because their main job is to attract insects, such as bees or butterflies, into the flower. These insects pick up pollen from the flower, and carry it to the next flower they visit. This is how most flowers get pollinated.

Sepals are special types of leaves that form a ring around the petals. Their job is to protect the flower while it is still a bud. After the flower has opened, the sepals can still be seen behind the petals. Sepals are usually green or brown, although in some plants they are the same colour as the petals.

The nectaries make nectar in the flower. Nectar is a sweet substance, which insects drink to give them energy. Bees also use nectar to make honey. The nectaries are usually right in the centre of the flower. This means the insects have to reach deep into the flower to find the nectar. As they do so, their bodies pick up pollen from the anthers, and they carry it to the next flower they visit.

The receptacle is the top part of the flower stalk, where the parts of the flower are attached. It is often rounded in shape. All the parts of the flower are attached to the receptacle.

There are two types of reproduction in plants.

Examples of plants which don’t produce flowers. They have different ways to spread their species.

Sexual reproduction in flowering plants takes place when flowers get pollinated by insects like bees.

Here, we are going to discuss about the sexual reproduction in plants.

There are mainly two types of plants.

• Flowering plants


Flowering plants produce flowers. Oleander is an example of a flowering plant.

 

• Non-flowering plants


Examples of non-flowering succulents. Some succulents don’t produce flowers.

Flowering plants are the plants which bear flowers.

Non-flowering plants are the plants which don’t bear flowers.

Sexual reproduction takes place in flowering plants.

Sex cells in flowers

Sex cells involves in sexual reproduction in plants. In flowering plants the ‘flower’ is the structure which bears sex cells.

• Male sex cells (also called male gametes)
• Female sex cells (also called female gametes or eggs)

The process of joining a tiny male sex cell with a female sex cell and producing seeds in flowers.

Now try the ‘Quizzes‘!