NOTE THAT THIS NOTE COMPRISES OF THE FIRST

THREE TOPICS IN THIRD TERM

 FLOWER
 POLLINATION
 FRUITS
BEGINNING OF THE NOTES
REPRODUCTION IN FLOWERING PLANTS.

A flower is part of a shoot modified for sexual reproduction. It develops on a

receptacle which is the flattened portion of the flower stalk or pedicel. Floral parts
are arranged in whorls (circle).

NAME OF WHORL NAME OF EACH PART.

Calyx Sepal

Corolla Petal

Androecium Stamen

Gynoecium Carpel or pistil

1. CALYX: This consists of the sepals or a collection of sepals. Sepals are

usually green in colour. They vary in number and arrangement. In a flower
like Pride of Barbados, the sepals have the same colour with the petals. Such
sepals are said to be petaloid sepals. When sepals are free or separated from
one another, the sepals are said to be polysepalous e.g. Allamanda, and
when they are fused they are said to be gamosepalous e.g. Hibiscus.
2. COROLLA: The petals collectively are known as corolla. In many plants,
they are the eye-catching (attractive) part of the flower. Most flowers have
four to ten (4-10) petals which may be separated i.e., polypetalous e.g.
hibiscus or fused to form a tube i.e., gamopetalous e.g. allamanda.
3. ANDROECIUM (MALE PART): This is made up of the stamen of the male
organ of the flower. Each stamen is made up of a stalk called the filament
and a head called the anther. In allamanda, the filament are attached to the
corolla while in hibiscus, there

Diagram showing parts of a flower

are many stamens and their filaments are fused to form a tube surrounding
the style.
4. GYNOECIUM: (FEMALE PART): A collection of the carpel is known as
gynoecium. A gynoecium is made up of parts: (i) ovary (ii) the style
connecting the ovary to..(iii) the stigma which receives the pollen grain.

A monocarpous pistil consists of only one carpel e.g. crotalaria. A pistil

with more than one carpel may be apocarpous i.e., carpel remains entirely
separated from one another e.g. bryophylum or syncarpous i.e., has all its
carpel or at least their ovaries fused e.g. hibiscus.
TERMS USED IN DESCRIBING A FLOWER.

i. INFLORESCENCE: Inflorescence is a group of flowers which attach

themselves to a common stalk or axis e.g. Pride of Barbados.
ii. SOLITARY FLOWER: A solitary flower is one which is attached singly
either to the leaf axis or the tip of the branch, e.g. hibiscus and pawpaw
flower.
iii. PERFECT FLOWER: A perfect flower is one that has both carpel and
stamen in it e.g. pride of Barbados.
iv. IMPERFECT FLOWER: An imperfect flower is one in which either the
stamen or carpel are naturally missing e.g. maize flower.
v. COMPLETE FLOWER: A complete flower is the type that has naturally
all the four floral parts namely; calyx, corolla, androecium and gynoecium
e.g. hibiscus, pride of Barbados.
vi. INCOMPLETE FLOWER: An incomplete flower is the type which lacks
one or more of the floral parts e.g. maize and pawpaw flowers.
vii. REGULAR FLOWER: A flower is regular if it has all members of a whorl
on it i.e. petals are identical in shape and size, and are evenly arranged on
the receptacle. Such a flower can be cut vertically into two similar halves
through any one of several vertical planes (radial symmetry) and is
described as actinomorphic flower e.g. hibiscus.
viii. IRREGULAR FLOWER: An irregular flower is one in which the
members of a whorl e.g. petals are not similar either because more parts are
fused, some are smaller than others or because one or more parts are
missing. The flower can be cut vertically into two similar halves through
only one plane (bilateral symmetry) and is described as zygomorphic flower
e.g. pride of Barbados and Delonia.
ix. AXILLARY FLOWER: Axillary flower are those which are borne in the
axils of leaves.
x. TERMINAL FLOWERS: Terminal flowers are borne at the end of stems
or branches.
xi. BISEXUAL FLOWER: A bisexual flower also called a hermaphrodite
has both the carpel (female) and stamen (male) on it e.g. pride of Barbados,
hibiscus.
xii. UNISEXUAL FLOWER: A unisexual flower is the type that has either
stamen or carpel as its sexual part. A flower that has only carpel is a female
flower and such flower is described as a pistillate e.g. maize, pawpaw. On
the other hand, any flower that has only stamen is a male flower hence it is
described as staminate e.g. pawpaw, maize.
xiii. MONOECIOUS PLANT: When male and female flowers are found on the
same plant, the plant is said to be monoecious e.g. oil palm, maize.
xiv. DIOECIOUS PLANT: When male and female flowers are found on
different plants, the plant is said to be dioecious e.g. pawpaw.
xv. ESSENTIAL PARTS OF A FLOWER: The stamen and the carpel are
regarded as the essential parts of the flower because they produce the
gametes required for fertilization to take place resulting in the formation of
seeds or fruits.
xvi. NON-ESSENTIAL PARTS OF A FLOWER: The petals and the sepals
are regarded as the non-essential parts of a flower because they are not
required for gamete production in flowers.

TYPES OF OVARY.

The position of an ovary in the receptacle dictates how it is classified. An ovary

can be described as superior, inferior and half inferior.

1 SUPERIOR OVARY: An ovary is described as superior when it is placed

above the other floral parts, namely; the calyx, corolla and stamen on the
receptacle e.g. hibiscus. The flower having this kind of superior ovary is
described as hypogynous flower.
2 HALF- INFERIOR OVARY: An ovary is described as half inferior when
the ovary lies inside a cup-shaped receptacle and other floral parts appear to
be attached slightly above it or almost at the same level e.g. rose flower. The
flower having this type of inferior ovary is described as perigynous flower.
3 INFERIOR OVARY: An ovary is described as inferior when it is placed
below the other floral parts, namely the calyx, corolla and stamen on the
receptacle. That is, other floral parts are above it on the receptacle, e.g. Cana
lily, sun flower. The flower having this kind of inferior ovary is described as
epigynous.
 (Diagram).

POLLINATION

This is the transfer of matured pollen grains from the anther to the matured stigma
of the same or another flower.

Pollination makes sexual reproduction possible in flowering plants. There are two
types of pollination:

 Self pollination
 Cross pollination

SELF POLLINATION
It takes place when matured pollen grains from the anther of a flower fall on the
stigma of the same flower or that of another flower of the same plant.

Merits of self pollination.

 It has high success.
 It brings the male gametes and the female gametes of the same plant
together.
 GET MORE POINTS FROM YOUR TEXTBOOK

Demerits of self pollination.

 Little genetic variation in offspring.
 Continued self pollination over many generations result in weakened
individuals.

 GET MORE POINTS FROM YOUR TEXTBOOK

CROSS POLLINATION.
This takes place when matured pollen grains of a flower are transferred from the
anther to the stigma of a flower of another plant of the same species or closely
related species.
Merits of cross pollination.
 Creates genetic variation in offspring which makes them healthy.
 It brings the male gamete and the female gamete together.

 GET MORE POINTS FROM YOUR TEXTBOOK

Demerits of cross pollination.

 It is very risky and is a wasteful process because most pollen grains may not
reach the stigma.
 GET MORE POINTS FROM YOUR TEXTBOOK

Some of the devices which ensure cross pollination are:

i. Dichogamy: This is the condition in which the stigma of a carpel of a

bisexual flower ripens at different times. It exists in two ways:
a. Protandry: This is the condition in which the stamen ripens before the
stigma, so that pollen grains are dispatched to flowers of other plants
which have matured stigma to receive them at that time.
b. Protogyny: This is a condition in which the stigma matures before the
stamen of the same flower or those of related flowers.
ii. Unisexuality: Some plants bear only male or female and not both on the
same plant e.g. pawpaw.
iii. Self sterility: Some plants make themselves sterile. Presence of pollen grain
on their stigmas injurious o further development of the plant. For instance,
they may wither and fall off. However, when pollen grains come from other
plants, fertilization can occur on such plants e.g. tea plant, passion flower
etc.

Some of the conditions which favour self pollination include the following:

i. Homogamy: This is the condition in which the anther and stigma of the
same plant ripens at the same time.
 ii. Cleistogamy: This is the condition in which ripen pollen grains are
deposited on the stigma which ripens simultaneously.

AGENTS OF POLLINATION.

The wind and insects such as butterfly, moth, and bees are the common agents of
pollination. Other agents are water and animals such as birds, locust etc.

FERTILIZATION IN FLOWERING PLANTS.

Pollination places pollen grains on the stigma. The male gametes in the pollen
grains are still relatively far away from the egg cells living in the embryonic sac
buried deep within the ovary. To reach the egg cells, the pollen grains germinate to
produce a pollen grain tube which can go to where the egg cells are.

Germination of pollen grains only occurs if;

 The pollen grain and stigma match,

 The surface of the stigma is receptive (mature)
 Diagram showing pollen grains.

Before germination, pollen grain absorbs the sugary food secreted by the stigma
and increases in size. Then, the intine grows out as the pollen tube ruptures. Inside
the pollen tubes are the tube nucleus and a generative nucleus. As the pollen tube
grows down, the generative nucleus divides to form two male nuclei. The pollen
tube nucleus then leads them to the ovule.

Each ovule consists of an embryo sac and two protective coats or integuments with
a tiny pore called micropyle at one end. The embryo sac consist of eight cells, one
of these is the female egg cell or ovum. When the pollen tube reaches the
micropyle, its end pushes through the ovule wall and breaks open. The tube
nucleus disintegrates but the two male nuclei will fertilize the nuclei in the ovule.
The first male nucleus fertilizes the egg cell to form the zygote.
The second male nucleus joins with the polar nuclei to form endosperm. This
process of fertilization is known as double fertilization. The zygote or fertilized
ovum is the first stage of the next generation.

After fertilization, the zygote undergoes cell division to form the embryo. The
ovule forms the seed and the ovary the fruit. Occasionally, the receptacle may also
become part of the fruit e.g. pineapple and fig.

Diagram showing fertilization in flowering plants.

THE EMBRYO.

The embryo of a seed consists of a radicle and a plumule inside the cotyledon in a
cotyledonous seed. The radicle is the future root; the plumule is the future shoot
and cotyledons (seed, leaves). The ovule becomes the seed and the ovary the fruit.
As the fruits develops, all other floral parts withers and fall. The embryo receives
its nourishment from the endosperm (a seed without endosperm is said to be a non-
endospermic seed) e.g. cowpea.
 Diagram showing seeds’ embryos

[1]

ii. BERRIES: - a berry is a true, simple, wholly succulent fruit and indehiscent.
Usually it has many seeds and every part of it is fleshy. The endocarp of a berry is
edible e.g. tomato, guava, oranges.

iii. POME: - a single false fruit with the flesh and the edible part formed from the
receptacle e.g. pear, apple e.t.c

iv. SOROSIS: - it is a complete false fruit formed from a dense inflorescence with
every part of each flower forming part of the fruit while the inflorescence swells to
form the core or mass e.g. breadfruit, pineapple.

B). DRY FRUITS:- this is a kind of fruit in which the pericarp becomes dry, hard
and woody or fibrous when the fruit ripens.

4a). DRY dehiscent: - they are those fruits which can split to release their seeds.
There are four types of dry dehiscent fruits classified according to the number of
lines through the walls when it breaks open at maturity.

1. Follicle: - these are dry fruits which open longitudinally by one line. It has a
dry fruit formed from one carpel e.g. silk cotton, Sodom apple.
2. LEGUME: - These are simple dry dehiscent fruits splitting by two
longitudinal lines into two halves at maturity e.g. pride of Barbados,
cowpea, soya bean, flamboyant etc.
3. CAPSULE: - it is a simple dry dehiscent fruit opening by three or more lines
e.g. okra, castor oil etc.
4. SCHIZOCARP: - this is a many seeded fruit which breaks open into one
seeded part at maturity. The one seeded part is called the MERICARP e.g
sida species, cassia and desmodium.

4b). Dry indehiscent fruits:- these are one seeded fruits whose wall becomes
hard and dry at maturity but the fruit wall or pericap does not split open on their
own to liberate the seed. They are five types of dry indehiscent fruit classified
according to the type of pericarp they possess.

i. Achene: - this is the simplest possible fruit. It consists of one fruit

surrounded by dry pericarp e.g. sunflower, strawberry.
ii. NUT: - it is an achene with tough, woody pericarp e.g. cashew nut. Most
fruits and seeds commonly referred to as nuts are not true nuts e.g.
groundnut, coconut, kolanut etc.
iii. Cypsela: this is an achene in which the calyx is above an inferior ovary.
It has a parachute of hair called pappus. E.g. tridax fruit
iv. Caryopsis: this is an achene in which the pericarp becomes fused with the
testa (seed coat). The seed cannot be separated from the fruit e.g. rice,
maize, millet.
v. Samara: this is an achene in which the pericarp becomes extended into
flat membranous wings for dispersal by wind. e.g. combretum tree,
obeche, e.t.c.

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN SEEDS AND FRUITS

S/N Fruits Seeds

1 Fruits develop from an ovary Seed develops from an ovule and so

and so contain seed. contains an embryo

2 It has fruit stalk or scar (due to It has a scar(hilium) formed by the

 receptacle) attachment of funicle

3 It bears remains of style or scar It does not bear remains of style

left by it

4 It has no micropyle It has micropyle

5 Fruit has a pericarp and one or Seed has a seed coat (testa) and a
more seeds single embryo