Parts of a Flowering Plant
Understanding flowering plants begins with identifying each part. Knowing the parts of flowering plants will come in handy if you want to propagate or Illustrate your plants.
Sandra L. Petersen
Flowering plants come in such a variety of sizes and shapes from the clusters of button-like "blossoms" of the tansy to the familiar cup-like shape of the tulip. All of these flowers have certain parts in common, although where each part is located may be difficult to figure out.
Flowering plants have sterile flower parts called the pedicel, the sepals or calyx, and the petals. The male flower parts are the stamens made up of a filament (stalk) and an anther (pollen sac). The female parts are the pistil, composed of the stigma and styles, and ovary.
Functions of Sterile Flower Parts
The pedicel supports the flower and connects it to the stem of the parent plant. The green cup-like calyx protects the flower bud. Petals are flashy advertisements attracting pollinators to the flower.
Functions of Male Flower Parts
Anthers open slightly to release pollen, the fertilizing agent. Filaments hold anthers out from the flower center so a pollinator like a honeybee can easily get pollen on itself as it moves from flower to flower.
Functions of Female Flower Parts
Stigmas are the center-most stalks and the surface where a pollinator deposits pollen. Styles connect the ovary at the flower base with the stigmas. The ovary contains eggs where the pollen travels and the seeds develop and form a fruit around themselves.
Almost 90 percent of the plant kingdom is made up of plants that flower to reproduce. This includes plants from potatoes to lilies to eucalyptus trees.
Inside Guides Incredible Plants, Barbara Taylor, 1997
Image Reference - Parts of a Flowering Plant