Naked Science Forum

Life Sciences => Plant Sciences, Zoology & Evolution => Topic started by: Laura Pope on 07/07/2011 19:30:02

Title: How is pollen made in plants?
Post by: Laura Pope on 07/07/2011 19:30:02

Laura Pope  asked the Naked Scientists:
   
How is pollen made in plants?

What do you think?

Title: How is pollen made in plants?
Post by: dalemill11y on 26/07/2011 08:16:14

Pollen is produced in stamens which is a male fertilizing organ of a flower.

Title: How is pollen made in plants?
Post by: Don_1 on 26/07/2011 09:45:00

Pollen is the plant's equivalent of our ovum and sperm. Switches within individual cells will determin whether they become root, stem, leaf, petal, anther etc. or, indeed, pollen cells.

In the female flower some cells will become the stigma, style, ovary, and ovule (collectively known as the carpel) while in the male they will become the stamen (collective noun for the filament and anthers). The filament and anthers also occur in the female. Some plants, such as the Aucuba (Garryaceae), are sexual, being a male plant bearing only male flowers or female plant bearing only female flowers followed by berries. The male plant does not produce berries. Other plants are androgynous, bearing both the male and female parts in each flower. These are the most common flowers and are the usual method of reproduction among almost all the fruit bearing plants.

So, what is the process of producing pollen? Eee by gum! Microsporagium dehiscence, that's how its done. I think it best I point you in the direction of this study (http://www.landesmuseum.at/pdf_frei_remote/PHY_13_3_4_0203-0209.pdf) of microsporangium of the Nigella damascena (Love-in-a-mist) a member of the Ranunculaceae family, the best known of which would be the Buttercup.