BIOLOGY

PROJECT

CHAPTER 10:
THE REPRODUCTIVE
ORGANS OF FLOWERING
PLANTS
10.1 The Structure Of A Flower

Fig.10.1 Structure
of a flower
 Flower s grow on stems. A typical flower
( Fig. 10.1 ) commonly consists of a peduncle
that supports the flower. The swollen part just
above the peduncle is called the receptacle.
The sepal, petal, pistil and stamen are
located on the receptacle.
Function of the part of the
flower
(a) calyx : made up of several sepals which
protect the flower bud.
(b) Corolla: made up of several petals which
protect the inner parts of the flower and
attracts insects to carry out pollination.
(c) Perianth : a collective term for the calyx and
the corolla.
(d) Stamen : the male reproductive organ of a flower . It is
made up of the
(i) filament : supports the anther
(ii) anther : produces pollen grains
(e) Pistil : the female reproductive organ of a flower . It is
made up of the
(i) Stigma : located at the tip of the style to receive pollen
grains.
(ii) Style : support the stigma
(iii) Ovary: swollen part of the style and contains
ovules. The ovary becomes the fruit and the ovules
become the seeds after fertilization.
10.1.1 Types Of Flower

 (a) Complete Flowers

A Complete Flower possesses all the four
floral parts: calyx, corolla, stamen and pistil.
Examples are hibiscus, morning glory ,
tomato and frangipani
 Example :

Morning glory
Frangipani

Tomato

Hibiscus
 (b) Incomplete Flower
An Incomplete Flower is one in which one or more of the
above floral parts is absent.
(i) Achlamydeous flower : the perianth is absent , for example,
maize
(ii) Monochlamydeous flower : possesses a single layer of
perianth only, for examples, bougainvillea , jackfruit.
(iii) Unisexual flower : possesses either the stamen or the pistil
only, for examples, maize, coconut, watermelon, cucumber,
bitter gourd, papaya ( can also produce bisexual flower).
(iv) Neutral flower: has no stamen and pistil, for example, the
ray florets on the outer layer of sunflower.
 Achlamydeous flower
examples:


Maize
Monochlamydeous flower
examples:

Bougainvillea

Jackfruit
Unisexual flower examples:

Maize Coconut

Watermelon

Cucumber
Unisexual flower examples:

Bitter gourd

Papaya
Neutral flower examples:

Sunflower
 (c) Regular Flower
A regular flower is one which can be
divided into two similar halves at any
diameter. Examples are hibiscus, morning
glory, oleander, guava, durian, citrus fruits,
melons etc
Regular flower examples:

Morning glory

Oleander
Hibiscus
Melons
Guava Durian

Citrus fruits
 (d) Irregular Flower
An irregular flower is one which can be
divided into two similar halves in one plane
only. Examples are orchid, balsam plant,
flame of the forest ( Delonix )
 Orchid

Flame of the
forest

Balsam plant
10.1.2 Pollination

 Pollination is the transfer of mature pollen grains

from the anther to the stigma. There are two types
of pollination:

 (a) Self –pollination: occurs when the pollen grains

of a flower are transferred to the stigma of the
same flower or another flower of the same plant
 (b) Cross pollination: occurs when the pollen grains
of the flower are transferred to the stigma of
another flower of a different plant.
Example:
 Because of self-pollination, plants may
produce weaker offsprings and therefore
plants avoid self-pollination in the folling
ways . For examples in besexual flower, pistils
and stamens are ripen at different time or
anthers and stigma are far apart while other
plants produce unisexual flowers.
10.1.3 Medium of Pollination

 Flowers can be classified into four groups

according to their agents of pollination.
 (a) Wind pollinated/ anemophilous flower: lallang ,
maize , rice
 (b)Insect-pollinated/ entomophilous flower:
mango, papaya, balsam plant, morning glory etc
 (c)Water-pollinated/ hydrophilous flower:
Vallisneria
 (d) Others: animals like bats, squirrels, birds and
human beings.
Wind pollinated/anemophilous
flower examples

Maize

lallang

Rice
Insect-pollinated/entomophilous
flower examples

Mango

Papaya
Morning glory
Water-pollinated/
hydrophilous flower
examples:

Vallisneria
Others:

Bats

Squirrels
 Birds

Human being
Differences between insect-pollinated and
wind-pollinated flowers
Insect-pollinated Wing-pollinated flowers
flowers
1. Size and colour Large, bright petals to Small, dull , usually
attract insect grouped together, some
lack perianth
2. Scent and Nectar Give out good scent and No scent and nectar
often produce nectar
3. Pollen grains Few, big, rough and Small, light, large in
sticky number
4. Position of stamen Lower than the corolla or Hanging out of the
enclosed within the flower with a long and
flower thin filament
5. Structure of stigma Rough, sticky, bead-like, Long, feathery, exposed
usually situated inside in the air
the flower
10.1.4 Fertilization

 The union of a male gamete and a female gamete to

produce a zygote is called fertilization. After
pollination, the pollen on the stigma grows a long
tube called a pollen tube down the style and into an
ovule in the ovary. Two male reproductive cells go
down the pollen tube and finally one of them unite
with the female reproductive cell(egg cell) in the
ovule to complete the process of fertilization( Fig
10.13) After fertilization, the ovary develops into the
fruit, while the ovule develops into the seed. The
seed will germinate into a new plant.
Fig 10.13
Fruit
 After fertilization, ovary become the fruit and
ovule become the seed
 The structure of a fruit

Fruit consists 2 main

1.pericarp
A)exocarp
B)mesocarp
C)endocarp

2.seed
 Formation of seed

A)true fruit
Is one which is developed solely from the ovary

B)False fruit/pseudo-carp
E.g: apple, pear, guava(fleshy part is placenta)
, pineapple
Classification of fruit (based on the nature of flowers)

a)Simple fruit : forms from a single ovary of

flower
b)Aggregate fruit : forms from several ovules
of a flower.
c)Multiple fruit : e.g sour sop , sweet sop froms
from a branch of flowers called
inflorescense
e.g :pineapple , jackfruit
 Example:

 Multiple fruits

Sweet sop

inflorescense

Sour sop
Pineapple

Jackfruit
Functions of fruits

a) To protect the seeds.

b) To supply nutrients for
the developing seeds.
c) To help in the
dispersal of seeds.
SEED
 Structure of a seed
A seed is protected by a testa. The hilum is a scar left by the stalk which attaches
the
The seed to the fruit wall . The micropyle is a tiny pore on top of the hilum . It allows
water and air to enter . When the testa is removed , the embryo , the cotyledon (s)
Or the endosperm can be seen . The body of the embryo is made up of radicle ,
hypocotyl , plumule and cotyledon . The radicle grows to form the root system of a
new plant . The plumule grows to form the shoot system . The hypocotyl is the part
that connect the plumule and the radicle (Fig.10.23). The cotyledon and endosperm
Store food for the embryo.
Fig.10.23
Dicotyledon Seed

(a)Non-endospermous seed: Green peas , vicia , groundnut

(b)Endospermous seeds: Castor seed

 Example:

 Non-endospermous seed:

Green peas

Vicia
Groundnut
 Endospermous seed

Castor seed
Monocotyledonous Seeds

A maize grain is actually a fruit formed from an ovary.(Fig

10.24)
Conditions Needed For Germination

Germination is the growth of a plant from the seed. Seed

start to
germinate when they get enough air, water and suitable
temperature.
Seeds need an adepuate supply of oxygen to
germinate.
Seeds need suitable temperature to germinate.
Seeds need suitable amount of water to germinate.
Hypogeal germination

The cotyledon remain in the

ground (Fig 10.26).Examples are
broad been, zea mays (maize) ,
vicia , groundnuts.
Example:

Broad bean

Vicia
Zea mays (maize)
Groundnut
Some mature seeds do not germinate even
under suitable conditions. This
phenomenon is known as dormancy.
THE END