Flowers, Fruits, and Seeds

Revision
Q) Explain what flowers are?
•Answer: Flowers are the beautiful clothes angiosperms wear to attract
attention. The colors, number, and shapes of such petals attract
pollinators, such as insects.

Q) What is the function of flowers?

•Answer: Flowers are reproductive organs.

Q) What are 4 main structures of a flower?

•Answer: Sepal, Petal, Stamen & Carpel

Q) How does the newest system of classification differ from the

former one?
•Angiosperms were previously divided into two main groups, monocot
and dicot. The most recent system divides angiosperms into five main
groups.
 Revision
Q)What are the 3 categories in the life span of angiosperms?
•Answer: 1) Annuals 2) Biennials 3) Perennials

Q) How long do Annuals live for?

•Answer: Annuals pass through their entire life cycle in one growing
season.

Q) How long do Biennials live for?

•Answer: Biennials live for two growing seasons

Q) How long do Perennials live for

•Answer: Perennials regrow year after year.
Learning Objectives
 Explain what flowers are.
 Explain how different angiosperms are classified.
 Describe how fertilization in angiosperms differs from
fertilization in other plants.
 Define vegetative reproduction.
 Describe how fruits form.
Explain what flowers are.
Q) Explain what flowers are?
Answer: Flowers are the beautiful clothes angiosperms
wear to attract attention. The colors, number, and shapes of
such petals attract pollinators, such as insects.

Q) What is the function of flowers?

Answer: Flowers are reproductive organs.

Q) What is the structure of a flower?

Answer: Flowers are composed of four different kinds of
specialized leaves: Sepal, Petal, Stamen & Carpel
The Structure of a Flower
Carpel

Stamen Style Stigma Ovary

Anther

Filament

Ovule Sepal Petal

Angiosperm Classification
Angiosperms were previously divided into two main groups,
monocot and dicot. The most recent system divides angiosperms
into five main groups.
Characteristics of Monocots and Dicots
Monocots and dicots have different characteristics.
Pollination: Is the transfer of pollen to the female portions of
the flower.

Wind pollinated Animal pollinated

 Annuals, Biennials, and Perennials

Annuals pass through

Perennials regrow year
their entire life cycle in
after year.
one growing season.

Biennials live for two growing

seasons. Seeds and flowers form in
the second season.
The Angiosperm Life Cycle
Male Pollen grain
(male
2N N gametophyte)

Meiosis Mitosis

Meiosis Mitosis

2N N
Embryo sac
(female
gametophyte)
The Angiosperm Life Cycle
Male Gametophyte production (p.743):
1: the male gametophytes—the pollen grains—develop
inside anthers. The first step in the process produces
four haploid spore cells through meiosis.

2. Each haploid spore then divides again (through

mitosis) to produce two haploid cells, a generative cell &
a tube cell.

3.The two nuclei are surrounded by a thick wall that

protects the male gametophyte from dryness and
damage when it is released. The pollen grains stop
growing until they are released from the anther and land
on a stigma.
The Angiosperm Life Cycle
Male Gametophyte production:
4. Pollen is the male gametophyte, which contains male
gametes.

5. The male gametes are the two sperm nuclei inside the
pollen grain.
Male Gametophyte

Male Gametes
The Angiosperm Life Cycle
Female Gametophyte production (p.743):
1: Female gametophytes develop inside each carpel of a
flower.

2. The diploid cell goes through meiosis to produce four

haploid cells, three of which disintegrate.

3. The remaining cell undergoes mitosis, producing eight

nuclei.

4. These eight nuclei and the surrounding membrane are

called the embryo sac - The embryo sac – is the female
gametophyte of a flowering plant
The Angiosperm Life Cycle
Female Gametophyte production:
5. Next, cell walls form around six of the eight nuclei.

6.One of the eight nuclei, near the base of the

gametophyte, is the nucleus of the egg—the female
gamete.

7.If fertilization takes place, this egg cell will fuse with the
male gamete to become the zygote that grows into a
new sporophyte plant.
 Revision
Q)Are the floral structures (Anthers & Carpels) part of the
gametophyte or sporophyte?
•Answer: Sporophyte

Q) Is pollen from the anther, sporophyte or gametophyte?

•Answer: Pollen is the male gametophyte

Q) A diploid cell goes through meiosis to produce how many

haploid spores?
•Answer: four

Q) Each haploid spore then divides again through mitosis) to

produce how many haploid cell?
•Answer: Two haploid cells, a generative cell & a tube cell
 Revision
Q)Female gametophytes develop inside where?
•Answer: Carpels

Q) The diploid cell goes through _______ to produce four haploid

cells?
•Answer: Meiosis

Q) Three disintegrate remaining cell undergoes mitosis,

producing how many nuclei?
•Answer: Eight nuclei

Q) These eight nuclei and the surrounding membrane are called?

•Answer: The embryo sac
Angiosperm Life Cycle Anther
(2N)
Pollen grains (N)
(male gametophyte)

Stigma
Ovule
(2N)

Style

Pollen
Ovary
tubes
(2N)
Describe how fertilization in angiosperms differs from
fertilization in other plants (p.744).

The process of fertilization in angiosperms is distinct from

that found in other plants.

Two fertilization events take place – one that produces the

zygote and the other that produces the endosperm with the
seed.
Double Fertilization
1. When a pollen grain lands on the stigma of a flower, the
tube cell begins to grow a pollen tube.
2. The other cell – the generative cell- divides and forms
two sperm cells.
3. The pollen tube grows into the style, where it eventually
reaches the ovary and enters the ovule.
4. Inside the embryo sac, two distict fertilization takes place
1. One of the sperm nuclei fuses with the egg nucleus to
produces a diploid zygote – plant embryo
2. The other sperm nucleus fuses with two polar nuclei
in the embryo sac to form a triploid (3N) cell.
5. The triploid cell grows into a food-rich tissue known as
endosperm – which nourishes the seedling as it grows
Fertilization

Embryo sac
(female gametophyte)
Pollen tube

Egg

Sperm
cells Polar
nuclei
Double Fertilization

2N
Zygote

3N
Endosperm
nucleus
Revision – Double Fertilization
Q) What happens when a pollen grain lands on the stigma of
a flower?
•The tube cell begins to grow a pollen tube.
Q) Fill in the missing gaps:
The _________ ____- divides and forms two sperm cells.
•Generative cell
One of the Sperm cells fuses with the egg nucleus to
produce a ________ _______– plant embryo
•Diploid Zygote
Q) The other sperm nucleus fuses with ___ ____ ____ in the
embryo sac to form a _______ (3N) ____.
•Two polar nuclei, triploid (3N) cell
 Vegetative Reproduction
“Many flowering “What!! I thought
plants can this was only
reproduce Green Algae?”
asexually.”

“Nope! Other plants like flowers can

too”

“This process, is known as Vegetative

Reproduction”
 Vegetative Reproduction
“I’m confused can
“Sure! Here's a you explain it to
simple way to me?”
understand it:”

1.Imagine you have a plant you really like, and you want to make more
of it.
2.Instead of using seeds, you take a piece of the plant, like a cutting
from a stem or a leaf.
3.You plant that cutting in the soil, and with the right conditions, it
starts to grow into a new plant that's just like the parent plant.
4.This new plant is a clone of the parent plant because it has the same
genes.
 Vegetative Reproduction
“So, vegetative
“Yes! Because vegetative reproduction is like
reproduction does not making plant copies
involve pollination or seed without using seeds”
formation, a single plant can
reproduce quickly”

1.Imagine you have a plant you really like, and you want to make more
of it.
2.Instead of using seeds, you take a piece of the plant, like a cutting
from a stem or a leaf.
3.You plant that cutting in the soil, and with the right conditions, it
starts to grow into a new plant that's just like the parent plant.
4.This new plant is a clone of the parent plant because it has the same
genes.
 Vegetative Reproduction
“So, vegetative
“Yes! Because vegetative reproduction is like
reproduction does not making plant copies
involve pollination or seed without using seeds”
formation, a single plant can
reproduce quickly”

“Ahh! I think I
understand now”
“Great! There are some
terms that might be useful
to know to help with your
understanding:”
 Useful Terminology
1. Grafting: Grafting is like plant surgery. It's when you take a part of one plant that you
really like, and you attach it onto another plant. The two parts grow together, and you
get a plant that has characteristics of both. It's like making a plant Frankensteiner!
2. Cutting: Cutting is a bit like plant cloning. You take a piece of a plant, like a stem or a
leaf, and you put it in the soil. With the right care, it starts to grow into a new plant
that's just like the one you took the cutting from. So, you're basically making a plant
clone.
3. Runners: Runners are like nature's way of making new plants. Some plants send out
these long, horizontal stems that run along & below the ground. Wherever a runner
touches the soil, it can start growing into a new plant. Strawberries do this - you'll see
little baby strawberry plants popping up along the runner.
4. Stolons: Stolons are like cousins of runners. They're also horizontal stems, but they're
above the ground, not below like runners. Stolons can root and grow into new plants
where they touch the soil. Plants like mint do this. Imagine a mint plant sending out a
stolon that takes root and starts a new mint plant nearby.
Plant Propagation: Grafting
Revision – Vegetative Reproduction
Q) What does vegetative reproduction mean?
Answer: when a plants reproduces asexually. Formation of
new individuals by mitosis, it does not require gametes,
flowers, or fertilisation.
Q) Does vegetative reproduction involve pollination or seed
formation?
Answer: No.
Q) What is Grafting?
Answer: Grafting is when you take a part of one plant and
you attach it onto another plant. The two parts grow together.
Revision – Vegetative Reproduction
Q) What is Cutting?
Answer: Cutting is a bit like plant cloning. You take a piece of
a plant, like a stem or a leaf, and you put it in the soil. With
the right care, it starts to grow into a new plant.
Q) What are Runners?
Answer: Runners are like nature's way of making new plants.
Some plants send out these long, horizontal stems that run
along & below the ground. Wherever a runner touches the
soil, it can start growing into a new plant.
Q) What are Stolons?
Answer: Stolons are like cousins of runners. They're also
horizontal stems, but they're above the ground, not below
like runners. Stolons can root and grow into new plants
where they touch the soil.
 Which plants can reproduce asexually?
Not all plants can do vegetative reproduction, it depends on the type of plant and its
characteristics. Plants that are especially good at vegetative reproduction include:
1.Herbaceous Plants: These are non-woody plants like some flowers and vegetables.
2.Succulents: Succulent plants, like cacti and aloe vera, can produce new plants from
their leaves or stems.
3.Bulbs and Tubers: Plants like tulips and potatoes reproduce by forming bulbs or
tubers.
4.Creeping Plants: Some plants, such as strawberries, send out runners or stolons that
develop into new plants when they touch the ground.

Sprouting potato Cholla cactus Strawberry plant

 What is a Fruits?
A fruit is a matured angiosperm ovary, usually contains
seeds
 Seed Dispersal
Fruits help disperse and nourish seeds.
Germination in a Monocot and Dicot
Monocot Dicot

Cotyledon
Young Young
shoot shoot

Seed
Germinating Germinating coat
seed seed
Primary Primary
root root