Plant reproduction Flashcards
Advantages of sexual reproduction
- produces variety
- has survival value in a changing environment
Sexual organs of a flowering plant
Its flowers, which produce pollen and ovules containing the flower’s gametes
Advantages of asexual reproduction
- no partner needed
- faster
- requires less energy
- has survival value in a stable environment
Most methods of asexual reproduction in plants involve
Some part of the plant growing, then breaking away from the parent plant before growing into a new plant
Natural methods of plants reproducing asexually
Runners, bulbs, rhizomes and tubers
Artificial methods of asexual reproduction in plants
Cuttings, micropropagation
Sex cells in plants
In flowers, specialised haploid sex cells.
Male sex cells: the pollen grains
Female sex cells: ova
Why clone plants? (6)
- to produce genetically identical copies of a plant with favoured characteristics
- to quickly produce many mature plants
- to produce plants in the absence of pollinators
- to preserve rare or endangered plants
- to make copies of plants that have been genetically modified
- to produce plants that do not grow easily from seeds (eg orchids)
How do tubers work in a potato plant?
Potato tubers form underground at the ends of branches from the main stem. Each potato can produce several new plants from the ‘eyes’ which are bulbs.
How do runners work?
A new plant is produced where the runner touches the ground
Bulbs
- the bases of leaves which have become swollen with food
- buds in them can develop into new plants
- plants can form more than one bulb
Pollination
The transfer of pollen from the anther to the stigma
Self pollination
Transfer of pollen from the anther of a plant to the stigma of the same plant
Cross pollination
Transfer of pollen from flower onto flower on different plant
The fusion of male and female gametes
Fertilisation
Petal function
Large and colourful to attract pollinators
Anther function
Contains pollen grains
Ovule function
Will become seeds when they are fertilised
Filaments function
Hold the anthers in place
Ovary function
Where the ovules are
Receptacle function
Hold the main parts of the flower in place
Stigma function
A sticky surface for the pollen to land on
Sepal function
Protect the flower when it is in bud
Style function
Provides a path for the pollen from the stigma to the ovary
