Second Year Science

Plant Reproduction
 Functions of parts of the flower
1. Sepals:
protect flower when
still in bud
 Functions of parts of the flower
2. Petals:
– Protect internal parts of flower
– Attract insects/birds
 Functions of parts of the flower
3. Stamen (male):
– produce the pollen grains
– Nucleus in the pollen grain is the MALE GAMETE
 Functions of parts of the flower
4. Carpel (female):
– Produces an egg cell
– Nucleus of egg cell is the FEMALE GAMETE
Parts of the flower
 Structure of the carpel
• Stigma
– Where pollen grains
land
• Style
– Connects stigma to
ovary
• Ovary
– Contains ovules
– Ovules produce eggs
(female gametes)
 Structure of the stamen
• Filament
– Supports the anther
– Positioning of anthers for
pollen dispersal
• Anther
– Makes pollen grains (male
gametes)
 Pollination
Pollination: the transfer of pollen from a
stamen to a carpel
• Plants can’t move from place to place
• Depend on external agents to transfer pollen
– Wind
– Insects
• Flowers have different features to adapt for
either of these
 Fertilisation
Fertilisation: joining of the male and
female gametes to form a zygote
Zygote: a cell formed when a male and
female gamete join
 Steps of fertilisation

1. Pollen lands on
stigma of carpel

2. Pollen grows a
pollen tube through
the style

Growth of pollen tube

 3. Pollen tube grows
to base of the
carpel
4. Pollen nucleus
joins the egg
nucleus
5. Fertilisation takes
Just before fertilisation
place and forms a
zygote
Grows to form a
seed
 After fertilisation
Flower
Wither and
Style
drop off
Stigma

Ovule Forms the seed

Ovary Forms the fruit
 Seed structure
• Starts off: zygote surrounded by food supply
• Zygote grows to form an embryo (tiny plant)
Pea seed
 Seed structure
• Plumule: will form the shoot
• Radicle: will form the roots
Broad bean seed
 Fruit
• Formed from the ovary
Multiple seeds
More than 1 ovule (pips)
• E.g. Oranges, apples, kiwis

1 ovule 1 seed (stone)

• E.g. Peaches, Plums, Pears

 Seed and fruit dispersal
Dispersal: the carrying of the seed/fruit
as far as possible from the parent plant

Distance from Less competition

parent plants for resources

Better chance of
survival
 Types of seed dispersal
Wind dispersal
• Small, light seeds
• Special devices to help carry
them
• Example: dandelion, thistle

Water dispersal
• Fruit that can float
• Carried by streams
• Example: coconut, waterlily
 Types of seed dispersal
Animal dispersal
• Tasty fruit to ensure they get
eaten
• Spines to stick to fur
• Example: burdock, acorns

Self dispersal
• Pods burst open when ripe,
flinging the seeds away
• Example: gorse, peas & beans
 Germination
Germination: Formation of a new plant
from the growth of a seed
• Germination = sprouting of the seeds

3 conditions needed for germination

1. WATER
2. OXYGEN
3. SUITABLE TEMPERATURE (warmth)
Germination: four stages
1. Seed absorbs water. Then the
root and shoot grow from food
in the seed
Germination: four stages

2. Root grows down in soil

Germination: four stages

3. Shoot grows up
towards the air
Germination: four stages
To investigate the conditions
necessary for germination
 All the steps plant sexual
reproduction

• PRETTY POLLINATION

• FLOWERS FERTILISATION

• FOR SEED FORMATION

•D DISPERSAL

• GIRLS GERMINATION