LESSON 1: PLANT REPRODUCTION AND FLORAL ANATOMY

• Plant reproduction


  The process by which plants produce offspring, ensuring the continuation of their species
• Plant reproduction


  1. Transfer of pollen from the male reproductive organs (stamen) to the female reproductive organs (pistil) for fertilization

  2. Formation of seeds

  3. Formation of new plants
• Floral anatomy


  The study of the structure and arrangement of the various parts of a flower
• Main parts of a flower

  • Sepals
  • Petals
  • Stamens
  • Pistil
  • Ovary
• Sepals


  The outermost parts of the flower, usually green in color, protect the flower bud before it blooms and may also help attract pollinators
• Petals


  Often colorful and fragrant, play a significant role in attracting pollinators such as bees, butterflies, and birds, also protect the reproductive organs of the flower
• Stamens


  The male reproductive organs of the flower, consisting of the filament and the anther, the anther contains pollen sacs where pollen grains are produced
• Pistil


  The female reproductive organ of the flower, consisting of the stigma, style, and ovary, the stigma is the sticky surface where pollen grains land, the style connects the stigma to the ovary, the ovary contains ovules which develop into seeds after fertilization
• Ovary


  The swollen base of the pistil where ovules are produced, after fertilization the ovary develops into a fruit which protects the seeds and aids in their dispersal
• Sexual reproduction


  Combining genetic material from two parents
• Asexual reproduction


  Producing offspring without the involvement of gametes, resulting in genetically identical offspring to the parent plant
• Advantages of sexual reproduction in plants

  • Genetic variation
  • Evolution
• Disadvantages of sexual reproduction in plants

  • Energy and resource-intensive
  • Dependency on pollinators
• Advantages of asexual reproduction in plants

  • Rapid reproduction
  • Independence from pollinators
• Disadvantages of asexual reproduction in plants

  • Lack of genetic variation
  • Reduced adaptability
• Development in plants


  The sum of two processes: growth and differentiation, the development of a mature plant from a zygote follows a precise and highly ordered succession of events
• Stages in plant development

  • Sprout
  • Seedling
  • Vegetating
  • Budding
  • Flowering
  • Ripening
• Sprout


  Seeds contain all the nutrients they need to germinate and grow their first parts
• Seedling


  As roots begin to develop and spread, plants need a boost of quickly absorbed, well-balanced nutrients
• Vegetating


  Nitrogen is the most important for plants when their energy is directed into growing stems and foliage
• Budding


  Full-grown plants need extra phosphorus during the transition to the blooming stage
• Flowering


  Potassium is essential for the development of healthy flowers and fruit
• Ripening


  As flowers or fruit reach full maturity, the plants no longer need nutrients-just water