The New Childrens Encyclopedia

Plant reproduction

Flowering plants and cone-bearing plants (such as

conifers) are seed producers. Most flowering plants

reproduce through seeds but some have vegetative

reproduction, too. In order to produce seeds,

a flower must first be pollinated.

WHAT IS A FLOWER?

Flowers contain a plant’s

sexual organs. Flowers are

often brightly colored or

scented to attract pollinators.

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In a simple plant,

petals grow in a

circle, or whorl.

Sepals grow on the outer whorl.

In some flowers, they look the

same as the petals.

The stigma, style, and ovary

together are called the

carpel. They are the female

parts of the plant.

The style connects the

stigma to the ovary.

The stigma

receives pollen. The ovary^

is where seeds

are produced.

The filaments

and anthers

together are called

stamens. They are

the male parts

of the plant.

The anther is

where pollen

is produced.

The filament

supports the anther.

TAKE A LOOK: GERMINATION

 ROOT As the embryo

starts to grow, the testa

splits and the first root,

called a radicle, grows

downward.

 SHOOT The first shoot,

called the plumule, grows

upward. The plumule

reaches above ground, and

becomes the plant stem.

 SEED LEAF Some

plants have just one seed

leaf, but others have two.

They contain the remains

of the seed’s food store.

Embryo

Radicle

Plumule

Seed leaf

O Seeds contain everything a plant

needs to grow: an embryo and a food

supply, which are protected inside a

hard coat called a testa.

O In the right conditions—usually a

dark, damp, and warm place, such as

in soil—the seed will germinate. First,

the seed absorbs water. Then the

embryo starts to grow, using its food

store. A root appears, followed by a

shoot. Seed leaves are attached to this

shoot; the first true leaves don’t appear

until later.

Pollinators such as insects and

bats may be attracted to flowers

by their scent—but that doesn’t

mean the flower smells nice to

us. Rafflesia flowers fill the air

with the smell of rotting meat

to attract flies. Yuck!

WOW!

Testa

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/^7 

LIVING WORLD