We all know what a flower looks like, and if we asked you to describe one physically we bet you wouldn’t do half bad. But do you know all of the technical names for the parts of a flower and what makes one complete other than the obvious? If not, we’re here to help, so grab your pen and paper and get ready to take some notes – below is everything you need to know about flowers and flower anatomy.
A flower’s petals are the colorful outer layer that you probably put your nose near to smell its scent. When referred to all together they are known as the “corolla.”
The sepals are a protective layer that covers the flower buds. Typically green in color, these are called “calyx” when viewed collectively – you can think of these as looking rather leaf-life.
This one’s simple – the receptacle is simply the base of the flower!
Moving downward from the receptacle, the peduncle is the stalk of a flower.
Now that you know four of the main parts of a flower, we’re going to get a bit more specific. Did
you know that flowers have both male and female characteristics? Below, we take a look at each and detail their distinct features.
The pistil is the central female organ of any flower. Located right in the center of the flower, it is comprised of the ovary, ovules, stigma and style. Here is the function of each:
● An ovary’s main purpose is to hold the ovules and can typically be found at the bottom of a flower’s pistil.
● The ovules, which we mentioned are located within the ovary, are the flower’s eggs that later turn into seeds.
● The stigma is the organ that receives the pollen that is created by the flower. It is located towards the top of the pistil and is usually pretty sticky!
● A flower’s style is the long stalk in between the stigma and the ovary.
The stamen is the male organ that flowers contain. A bit less complex than the female organs, the stamen is only made up of two parts – the anthers and the filament:
● The anthers are the part of the flower that produces pollen. This is an essential organ in any flower, especially when it comes to reproduction!
● The filament is the stalk that the anthers are found on top of.
While some flowers may only primarily contain female organs (pistillate) and others may only contain male organs (staminate) – some may even contain neither! – the information above is your complete guide to flower anatomy! If we presented you with a blank flower diagram do you think you could fill all of its parts in? When you get the chance, give it a shot and see how well you do!