SCIENCE

STAGE FIVE
Life Cycle of a Flowering Plant
• We are going to:
• Learn that some plants have flowers and some plants do not have
• Learn about the stages in the life cycle of a flowering plant.
• Sort and group flowers
• Identify the parts of a flower and describe their purpose or function.
• Observe and draw a flower
• Describe patterns in observations
 Flowering Plants
• These are plants that produces flowers.
• What is a flower? It is the seed-bearing part of a plant, consisting of
reproductive organs (stamens and carpels) that are typically
surrounded by a brightly colored corolla (petals) and a green calyx (
sepals).
Plant life cycles
• A cycle is something that happens
Over and over again
• When a plant produces flowers,
• they usually last for a few days.
• They then die and fall off the plant.
• However, part of the flower
stays behind on the plant,
this part becomes the fruit.
• The seeds forms inside the fruit,
these seeds grow into new plants.
• The new plant grow and produce flowers to form new fruits and seeds.
Continuation….
• So flowers help the plant reproduce to form new plants.
• All the changes in a flowering plant, from flowers to seeds growing
into new plants are called the plant’s life cycle.
Plants without Flowers Ex 1.1 wbook q5 & q6
no questions

• Not all plants have flowers,

plants without flowers are
called non-flowering plant.

• Moses, ferns and plants with cones

• are non-flowering plants.

• Moses and ferns do not form seeds

• instead they make tiny spores
• that can grow into new plants.
• Pines trees do not form seeds but their seeds form in a cone and not from a flower.
 Questions
1. Name an example of a flowering plant.
2. Name an example of a non-flowering plant.
3. In what ways are flowering plants different to non-flowering plants.
4. Why don’t we usually find flowers and fruits on a peach tree at the
same time?
5. These are stages in the life cycle of a bean plant;

these stages are in the wrong order, put them in the right order and
draw the life cycle of the bean plant with labels.
Parts of a flower
1. Sepals

They are modified leaves that enclose the developing flower. Sepals are
the first essential part that grows in a flower, arising from the top of
the stem.
• Functions
• Providing protection to the young flower buds from an injury by
forming a tightly closed area
• Giving structural support to a flower
2. Petals

• They are modified leaf-like parts that surround the reproductive

organs of a flower. Petals are the brightest and colorful parts of a
flower that distinguish them from other parts.
• Functions
• Protecting the reproductive structures in flowers
• Attracting pollinators like insects (e.g., bees, wasps, and butterflies),
birds and other small mammals to transfer pollen from male to
female reproductive part of a flower
 3. Stamen

It is the male reproductive part of a flower. It consists of two main parts:

a) Anther – Yellowish sac-like structure present at the head of the stamen.

b) Filament – Slender stalk-like structure present at the tail of the stamen.

Functions
Anther helps in producing and storing pollen grains
Filament holds the anther and attaches it to the flower
 4. Carpel

Female reproductive part of a flower that forms pistil. A pistil may contain a single carpel or multiple
carpels fused together. It contains three parts:

a) Stigma – Head of the pistil that catches pollen grains.

b) Style – The stalk of the pistil. When pollen grains reach stigma, a tube-like structure grows through
the style called pollen tube, which reaches the ovary.
c) Ovary – The base of the pistil that holds the eggs or ovules. The ovary later becomes the seed
when the male and female reproductive cells fuse together, thereby forming the embryo, a process
called fertilization.
Functions
• Stigma helps in receiving pollen grains and also in their germination
• Style supports the stigma and connects it to the ovary
• Ovary helps in developing, distributing, and nourishing the embryo
 1.2 Pollination, Fruits and Seeds
Pollination; Pollination is the process
by which pollen grains are transferred
from the male part of a flower (anther)
to the female part (stigma) of the same or a
different flower.
Pollination By Insects
• Here the pollinators are insects;
• Pollinators move pollen from the stamen, the male part of the flower,
to the stigma, the female part of the same flower. Pollinators
include bees, wasps, birds, butterflies, moths, flies and even some
small mammals, including bats.
Adaptation of Insect Pollinated Flowers
• They have white or brightly colored petals.
• They have a scent
• They produce nector
Pollination by Wind
• In wind Pollination, the pollen blows in the wind from anthers to the
stigmas.

• Grass, rice and corn flowers are wind pollinated flowers.

•
Adaptation of Wind Pollinated flowers
• They have small petals
• Well exposed stamens​
• Production of large number of pollens​
• Light and non-sticky pollens​
• Feathery and sticky stigma
Why must be flowers
be pollinated
Flowers must be pollinated in order to
reproduce and produce seeds. Pollination is
the process by which pollen grains from the
male part of a flower (anther) are transferred
to the female part (stigma) of the same or a
different flower. This transfer of pollen allows
for fertilization and the formation of seeds,
which eventually develop into new plants.
Reasons why flowers need to be pollinated:

• Reproduction: Pollination enables the fusion of male and female reproductive cells,
leading to the formation of seeds. These seeds contain the genetic information necessary
for the growth and development of new plants.
• Genetic diversity: Pollination promotes genetic diversity by allowing for the mixing of
genetic material from different plants. This diversity is important for the survival and
adaptation of plant species in changing environments.
• Fruit production: After successful pollination, flowers often develop into fruits. Fruits
protect and nourish the developing seeds, aiding in their dispersal by animals or wind.
Fruits are an essential part of plant reproduction and play a crucial role in seed dispersal.
• Ecosystem support: Pollination is vital for the functioning of ecosystems. Many animals,
including bees, butterflies, birds, and bats, act as pollinators while seeking nectar or
pollen from flowers. These pollinators facilitate the transfer of pollen between flowers,
ensuring the survival of numerous plant species and providing food for other organisms.
Fruits and Seeds
• A fruit has two jobs;
• 1. To protect the seeds inside
• 2. To help spread the seeds
How are seeds spread?