Parts of Flower and Pollination

Types of Pollination and Parts of a Flower for Class 5 Science

From this concept, the students will learn about different types of pollination. Here, the students will be introduced to various pollinating agents and the reproductive parts of a flower.

After reading the concept, students will be able to:

Explain what are the parts of a flower.
Identify the male and female parts of a flower.
Differentiate between complete flower and incomplete flower and state incomplete flower examples.
Enlist the differences between unisexual and bisexual flowers.
State the function of calyx and corolla
Describe the parts of androecium and gynoecium with their functions.
Explain the difference between self-pollination and cross-pollination.
Define what is fertilisation.

Each concept is explained to class 5 students using descriptions, illustrations, and concept maps. After you go through a concept, assess your learning by solving the two printable worksheets given at the end of the page.

Download the worksheets and check your answers with the worksheet solutions for the concept of Types of Pollination and Parts of a Flower provided in PDF format.

Flower

Also called the reproductive parts of a plant, the flower is the site where the male and female gametes are formed that are involved in seed formation.

Seeds then germinate to produce new plants, and the cycle continues.

Parts of a Flower

A flower is fixed to the main plant body with a stalk that is present below the outermost whorl.
Parts of a flower can be classified into four whorls.
The whorls from the outside to the inside of a flower are calyx, corolla, androecium, and gynoecium.
Androecium and gynoecium are the male and female whorls of a flower, respectively.

Complete and Incomplete Flowers

Based on the presence of whorls, flowers can be classified as complete and incomplete flowers.

Complete flower The flower which possesses all the four whorls.

Examples: China rose.

Incomplete flower:The flower in which one or more whorl is absent.

Examples: Oak.

Unisexual and Bisexual Flowers:

Unisexual flower: The flower which has either the male or the female whorl is termed a unisexual flower.

Examples: Watermelon, papaya, muskmelon.

Bisexual Flower: The flower which contains both male and female whorls is called a bisexual flower.

Examples: Rose, Hibiscus, Tomato, Sunflower, Tulip.

The different parts of the flower and their functions are discussed below.

1. Calyx:

- It is actually modified leaves and constitutes the outermost whorl of a flower.
- The calyx consists of sepals, i.e., sepals are collectively called the calyx.
- Sepals are generally green in colour and are found attached to some fruits too.
  Examples: Tomato and Brinjal.
- Sepals protect the flower in the bud stage.

2. Corolla:

- It is the most attractive and colourful part of a flower.
- The other name for corolla is petals.
- The main function of the corolla is to attract insects for pollination.

3. Androecium

It is the male whorl of the flower.
Stamens are collectively called androecium.
The stamen is divided into anther and filament.
The upper spherical part where the synthesis of pollens or the male gamete occurs is called the anther.
The long tubular basal part which supports the anther is called the filament.

4. Gynoecium

It is the innermost whorl of a flower.
Carpels/pistils are collectively known as gynoecium.
A carpel can be divided into three parts—stigma, style, and ovary.
The sticky knob-like part where the pollens settle after the process of pollination is called the stigma.
The long cylindrical part which connects the stigma and ovary is called the style.
The basal globular part where the ovules are found is called the ovary.

Pollination:

The process of transfer of pollen grains from the anther to the stigma is known as pollination.

Types of Pollination:

Both biotic and abiotic agents carry out pollination.

Agent of Pollination	Examples
Bird	Cardinal flower, trumpet vine, hibiscus
Animal	Rangoon creeper
Insects	Sunflower, orchids
Wind	Wheat, rice, corn
Water	Water lily, Hydrilla

Post-Pollination Events:

The pollen, if compatible, reaches the ovary to fuse with the ovules/eggs via the process of fertilisation.
Fertilisation leads to the development of a zygote which grows further to form seeds.
The flower parts other than the ovary and sepals dry up and fall.
The ovary grows and gets converted into fruit.

New Words

Biotic components: The living components found in nature.

Abiotic components:The non-living components of nature.

Fertilisation: The process which involves a sperm cell in a pollen tube that fuses with the egg cell of an ovule, resulting in the formation of a plant embryo.

Zygote: A fertilized egg cell.

Gametes: The sex cells which are involved in reproduction.

Did You Know?

The part of the fruit we eat is actually the flower's ovary.
The flower-producing plants are called angiosperms.
A nectar-producing structure is present near the ovary in a flower that provides it with a characteristic smell.
Saffron that we use to flavour a variety of food items is the dry pistil of the saffron flower.