What is a flower?
Flower
What is a flower?
A flower is the part of the plant responsible for reproduction . Its structure includes a short stem and a cluster of modified leaves that protect the sex cells and ensure the formation of new seeds.
Plants that have flowers are called spermatophytes and are subclassified into two groups:
- Angiosperms: they are the most evolved type of plants and make up most of the flowering plants of the plant kingdom with about 250 thousand species. They have a complex genetic structure and produce fruit with seeds.
- Gymnosperms : these are plants whose flowers have a cone or pineapple-shaped structure, with exposed seeds and do not bear fruit. They are represented by about 800 plant species.
The word flower comes from the Latin word flos , which in turn seems to have its origin in the Indo-European root bhlē , which means to flourish.
Parts of the flower
Peduncle
It is the final part of the stem and its function is to hold the flower through the receptacle
Receptacle
It is the upper segment of the peduncle and it is the structure that supports the specialized leaves (petals), as well as the organelles that make up the flower.
Perianth
It is the structure in which the organelles of the flower are protected. It contains the sepals, which are the small leaves that have the function of supporting the first petals, it also contains the corolla, the most striking petals of the flower.
Pistil
It is a tubular element that contains the female reproductive system of the flower.
Geniceo
It is the female reproductive system, and in turn it is composed of the stigma (upper part of the pistil), the pollen tube that is the upper part of the style (where the pollen descends), the ovaries, and the ovules.
Androecium
It is the male reproductive system and is formed by the stamen, which is the organ that produces pollen, the anthers, the part of the flower where pollen is produced and which in turn is supported by the filaments, and the theca, where pollen production is saved.
Petals
They are the specialized leaves of the flower. Their colors, shape, the presence or absence of aroma respond to multiple genetic and climatic factors, but in general they are visually very attractive structures since their function is to attract pollinating agents (bees, insects, etc.).
Flower functions
The butterfly is one of the pollinating agents of flowers that contribute to the reproduction process.
Flowers have three essential functions for nature:
Pollination
It is the displacement of the pollen grain from the anthers (one of the androecium organelles) towards the upper part of the pistil (stigma). Pollination, in turn, can be of two types:
- Direct pollination : the passage of pollen to the stigma is carried out without the intervention of pollinating factors.
- Indirect pollination : the passage of pollen to the stigma is carried out from one flower to another with the help of pollinating agents such as bees, birds, insects or the human hand.
Seed production
Once the pollen has been produced and transported to the stigma, fertilization occurs, which will generate new seeds.
The seeds of a flower are potential new fruits and plants. Therefore, the survival of that species depends on the seeds being able to be produced, propagated and developed efficiently.
Fruit production
If the seeds develop properly they will give rise to new fruits that in many cases are edible. Therefore, flowers are a source of food for both animals and humans.
Flower characteristics
Flowers have functional and aesthetic characteristics that make them recognizable to the naked eye, such as
Striking structure or colors
The flowers are brightly colored to attract pollinating agents, such as bees or butterflies. The distribution of its petals also fulfills this function.
They produce nectar
The flowers also generate a substance called nectar, which works as a kind of "hook" to attract bees, butterflies and other types of pollinators. By resting on the flower to look for nectar, the pollen sticks to them and travels to other plants.
They generate aromas
Many floral species generate pleasant aromas for the human nose, such as roses or lavender. However, there are specimens such as the "corpse flower" ( amorphophallus titanum ) that is characterized by generating a putrid odor. That smell is an evolutionary trait that the flower developed to attract flies, beetles and other types of pollinating agents.
They can act as a defense mechanism for plants
Some plants have flowers that function as a defense against herbivorous animals. Foxgloves ( digitalis purpurea ) are plants whose flowers generate chemicals that not only drive away animals, but are also toxic to humans.
Types of flowers
There are several types of flowers according to their number of first leaves (cotyledons) or their sexual organs.
Flowers according to their number of cotyledons
Cotyledons are the first leaves of a plant, which contain an essential part of the seed. Within angiosperms, which are the flowers that bear fruit with seeds, there are two main categories according to the number of cotyledons (first leaves of a plant) they have:
Monocots
They have seeds of a single cotyledon, that is, of a first leaf that gave rise to the plant. They generally have 3 petals or multiples of three. Examples of cotyledonous flowers would be orchids, tulips, lilies, and food plants such as corn and wheat.
Dicotyledons
They are flowers with seeds that come from two cotyledons or first leaves and usually have petals in multiples of four or five. Examples of dicotyledonous flowers would be those of the eucalyptus tree, roses, and apple blossoms.
Flowers according to your reproductive organs
Depending on the sexual organs that the flowers have, these can be:
Hermaphrodites
They are flowering plants that have female (pistil) and male (stamens) organs simultaneously. Some examples of hermaphroditic flowers are those of tomato, coffee, and citrus plants.
Monoecious
They are plants that have a group of flowers with male organs and another with female organs. The action of pollinating agents such as the wind, bees or humans contributes to the reproduction. Examples of plants with monoecious flowers would be rice and sorghum.
Dioecious
They are flowering plants that have only one type of sex organ. That means that in order for them to reproduce, another plant is required that has flowers with the opposite reproductive organ. Examples of plants with dioecious flowers can be ginkgo biloba and kiwi.
- Update date: March 7, 2021.
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