What Is the Relationship Between Pollination & Fertilization in Flowering Plants?

The reproductive parts of flowering plants are found within the flowers. Sometimes both male and female parts are located on the same flower, while other times they are located on separate flowers. These male and female parts must connect in order for fertilization to occur and new plants to be created. In many instances, this process occurs with the help of other living things.

Male

The male parts of a flower, called the stamen, consist of the filament and anther, and produce pollen. Pollination occurs when the pollen, containing sperm cells, relocates to the female part of the plant.

Female

The female part of a flower, the pistil, consists of the ovary, style and stigma, which is sticky and catches the pollen during pollination. The ovary contains the egg.

Anther to Stigma

Pollen travels from the anther to the stigma via wind, insects or water. If the pollen lands on the stigma of the same species, fertilization begins.

Traveling Tube

The pollen produces a pollen tube that grows down the style to the ovary, ovule and egg. The sperm cells then travel down the tube to the egg.

Fertilization

One of the sperm fertilizes the egg, and this becomes a seed. The other sperm cell joins with cells in the ovule and creates food for the fertilized egg and fruit.

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish
• Science of flowers