What Produces Pollen in Flowers?
Pollen, which contains the male gamete (haploid germ cell), is manufactured and contained in the two-part flower reproductive organ called the stamen. The stamen consists of the anther, which holds the pollen grains, and the filaments, which are stalks that bear the anthers. Does this Spark an idea?
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Flowers
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Some plants, like lilies, contain male and female reproductive parts in the same flower. Other species, like the birches (Betula), produce separate male (pollen producing) and female (pollen receiving) flowers on the same plant. In species like holly (Ilex), male plants produce pollen and separate female plants bear fruit.
Characteristics
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Some pollen is light enough to be carried on the wind. Other pollen, usually from insect-pollinated plants, is heavy and sticky enough to adhere to the body parts of insects or even on clothing worn by human beings.
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Considerations
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The pollen that is essential for plant reproduction can also be a problem for human allergy sufferers. The pollen that causes allergies is usually the light variety produced by wind-pollinated plants.
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References
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