Floral and Reproductive Parts

Question 1

What is the Sepal?

Answer 1

The outermost, or lowermost, segment of the flower.

Question 2

What do Sepals do?

Answer 2

1. Protect the floral bud or open flower.
2. (Sometimes) Protect the developing fruit.
3. (Sometimes) Attract pollinators alongside, or in lieu of, the petals.

Question 3

What do the Sepals altogether form?

Answer 3

The Calyx of the flower.

Question 4

What is the Petal?

Answer 4

The primary organ in a flower for attracting pollinators.

Question 5

What do Petals do?

Answer 5

1. Attract pollinators.
2. Act as a landing pad for pollinators.
3. Form a tube to hold nectar.

Question 6

What do the Petals altogether form?

Answer 6

The Corolla of the flower.

Question 7

What is the Stamen?

Answer 7

The “male” reproductive organ of the flower.

Question 8

What do the Stamens do?

Answer 8

They produce and distribute pollen to the pollinators or to the wind. Stamens also serve to attract pollinators in cases when petals are not present.

Question 9

What is a “Staminate”?

Answer 9

A flower bearing only stamens.

Question 10

What is the Pistil?

Answer 10

The “female” reproductive organ of the flower.

Question 11

What does the Pistil do?

Answer 11

The pistil protects the ovules that become the seed(s) if the flower is pollinated and fertilized, which then part of the pistil becomes the fruit.

Question 12

How many Pistils does a flower have?

Answer 12

This can be one in the center, or many in a cluster in the center, depending on the floral family.

Question 13

What is a “Pistillate”?

Answer 13

A flower bearing only pistils.

Question 14

What are the two parts of the Stamen?

Answer 14

The Filament and the Anther

Question 15

What is the Filament?

Answer 15

The part of the stamen that holds up the anther.

Question 16

What is the Anther?

Answer 16

The organ that produces and releases pollen

Question 17

What three parts make up the Pistil, and what is contained in the lowermost part?

Answer 17

The Stigma, the Style, and the Ovary which contains the Ovules that become seeds when fertilized.

Question 18

What is the Ovary?

Answer 18

The enlarged basal part of the pistil that houses the immature seed.

Question 19

What is the Style?

Answer 19

The stalk of the pistil that connects the stigma to the ovary.

Question 20

What is the Stigma?

Answer 20

The tip of the pistil that catches the pollen.

Question 21

What are three of the non-pollinating ways that plants can reproduce?

Answer 21

1. Sending out runners.
2. Growing bulbs.
3. Making new plants from cuttings.

Question 22

What is Pollination?

Answer 22

The transfer of pollen from one flower’s stamen to another flower’s stigma, sometimes resulting in fertilization - the genetic exchange between plants.

Question 23

What is Inflorescence?

Answer 23

The flowering part of a plant, including any accessory floral organs.

Question 24

Describe a Regular Flower

Answer 24

A radially symmetrical flower, where all of the petals or sepals are similar in size and appearance.

Question 25

Describe an Irregular Flower

Answer 25

A bilaterally symmetrical flower - folded vertically, the left and right sides will match. Folded horizontally, the top and bottom sides will not match.

Question 26

Describe a Perfect Flower

Answer 26

A flower that has both stamens and pistils - also called a bisexual flower.

Question 27

Describe an Imperfect Flower

Answer 27

A flower that has either stamens or pistils, but not both - also called a unisexual flower. (*This is rude. They’re perfect to me.)

Question 28

Define Monoecious

Answer 28

A plant with separate staminate and pistillate flowers, though connected.

Question 29

Define Dioecious

Answer 29

A plant with separate staminate and pistillate flowers, entirely unconnected. (eg, male and female holly plants)