Is a Pear Blossom a Flower?
Pears are sweet, juicy fruits that most people enjoy eating. These fruits are the end result of the reproductive cycle that begins with the formation of the pear blossoms on the branches of the pear tree.
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Purpose of a Flower
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A flower is a plant's reproductive organ. It contains male and female sex organs that are surrounded by sometimes flashy petals that attract insects and animals. Pear blossoms are flowers and they possess delicate white blossoms.
Male Sex Organs
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The pear blossom has an average of 30 anthers, which are the part of the male sex organs that produce and hold the pollen. The anthers are held up by filaments. Together these two parts make up the stamen.
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Female Sex Organs
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The female sex organs are in the middle of the pear blossom, surrounded by the stamens. The pistil is made up of the stigma, the sticky top part that catches the pollen and the style, a tube that leads to the ovary.
Pollination
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Pollination of the pear blossom is aided by insects. As they land on the flowers looking for nectar, a bit of the pollen from the anthers gets caught on the insect's body. As the insect moves from flower to flower, some of this pollen gets caught on the stigma.
Fertilization
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Once the pollen grains land on the stigma they travel down the style to the ovary. Once there, the ovules are fertilized. These will become seeds.
Fruit
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Once a pear blossom is fertilized the white petals drop off. The ovary, located at the base of the flower, grows into the pear fruit that contains the seeds. If animals eat the fruit, the seeds will be dispersed through their droppings.
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References
- Photo Credit Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of gertrud
