Biology Name: Catherine Jackson, Block 2, 3-29-20

Anderson

Flower Dissection

Introduction
The angiosperms are seed-bearing plants that produce flowers. The seeds, which contain the
plant embryo, are produced in the flower. All the parts of a flower are actually modified leaves that are
specialized for their roles in the reproductive process. Flower parts are arranged in circles called
whorls. They are attached at the enlarged base of the flower, the receptacle. Flower structures can
be divided into two groups: the essential organs and the accessory organs. The essential organs
are the reproductive structures, which include the stamens (male) and the pistils (female). The
accessory organs are the sepals and petals, which surround and protect the essential organs.

Purpose
1. To study the structure of a typical flower.
2. To study the male and female reproductive organs needed for sexual reproduction in flowering
plants.

Materials
 Fresh or artificial flower

It would be ideal to use a real flower. You can buy a flower, or search your yard, the curb, or a local
park. Do not take flowers from other people’s yard without asking permission. If you don’t have
access to a real flower, search your house for a fake flower. If you can’t find a fresh or fake flower,
you can use the internet to search for images, but you might need to get several picture of a flower to
see all the parts.

Procedure
Part A
1. Obtain a single flower and observe its parts carefully. Flower parts are arranged in a
circular pattern. Each circle is called a whorl. The whorls are attached at the enlarged
receptacle located at the base of the flower.
2. The sepals form the outermost whorl of the flower. The sepals are leaf-like structures
that are usually green in color. Sometimes, the sepals are the same color as the petals,
or appear to be another set of petals of a different color. The function of the sepals is to
protect the inner part of the flower before it blossoms. Gently remove and count the
sepals.
a. Enter the number of sepals in Data Table 1.
b. Enter the color of the sepals in Data Table 1.
c. Draw one sepal in Data Table 2.
3. The petals are found directly under the sepals. The color and odor of the petals help to
attract birds and insects to the flower for pollination. Gently remove and count the
petals.
a. Enter the number of petals in Data Table 1.
b. Enter the color of the sepals in Data Table 1.
c. Draw one petal in Data Table 2.
4. The stalk-like structures inside the petals are the stamens, the male reproductive
organs. Depending on the species, the stamens may be attached to the receptacle, to
the petals, or to the pistil (female reproductive organ). The enlarged portion at the top of
the stamen is the anther. Inside the anther are pollen sacs, which produce pollen
grains. When the pollen grains mature, the pollen sacs split open, releasing the dust
 like pollen grains. The filament is the thin structure that supports the anther. Gently
remove and count the stamens.
a. Enter the number of stamens in Data Table 1.
b. To which structure were the stamens attached (receptable, petals or pistil). Enter
this information in Data Table 1.
c. Indicate if the pollen sacks were open in Data Table 1. (You can tell the pollen sacks
are open if you shack the stamens and pollen is released.) If you used a fake
flower, write fake in this box.
d. Draw one stamen in Data Table 2. Label the filament and anther.
e. Using the ruler, measure the length of the stamen in millimeters. Enter the length
in Data Table 1.
5. Use the internet to search for a micrograph (image taken on a microscope) of pollen.
Draw a few pollen grains in Data Table 2. (If you know the name of your flower, search
for a micrograph of pollen for that type of flower.)
6. The central structure of the flower is the female reproductive organ, the carpel or pistil.
The top of the pistil is the stigma. When mature the stigma is enlarged, and its surface
is moist and sticky. The style is the middle portion of the pistil. It supports the sigma.
Some flowers lack a style. The ovary is the enlarged structure at the bottom of the pistil.
The ovary contains one or more hollow compartments known as locules. The locules
contain ovules, which in turn, contain the egg nuclei. Gently remove and count the
pistils.
a. Enter the number of pistils in Data Table 1.
b. Draw one pistil in Data Table 2. Label the stigma and style.
c. Indicate whether or not the style was mature in Data Table 1. (You can tell the
stigma is mature, if you touch it and it is sticky.) If you used a fake flower, write fake
in this box.
d. Using the ruler, measure the length of the pistil in millimeters. Enter the length in
Data Table 1.

Data Table 1. Flower data.

# of Sepals

Color of Sepals

# of Petals

Color of Petals

# of stamen

Filament attached to

Pollen sacs open (Y/N)

Length of stamen (mm)

# of pistils

Length of the pistil (mm)

Data Table 2. Flower part drawings.

Sepal Petal Stamen

Pollen Pistil

Analysis and conclusions

1. List the function of each of the following flower parts and note whether the parts comprise the
pistil or the stamen.

Flower Part P or S Function

Anther

Filament

Ovary

Ovule

Pollen

Stigma

Style
2. How did the length of your stamen compare to the length of the pistil? – The stamen was
longer than the pistil

Critical Thinking and Application

1. Why does a flower have more pollen grains than ovules? – Because most of the pollen grains
get lost in transportation before pollination

2. Explain why a heavy rainfall on fruit orchard in the spring might result in a poor fruit yield in the
fall. – Because the rain could wash away some of the pollen which could result in poor
fertilization

3. For what biological reason do farmers object to people picking apple blossoms during the
apple blossom season? – Because without the flowers, the fruit will not be able to develop

4. Flowers that are pollinated by the wind have smaller petals and sepals than flowers that are
pollinated by insects or animals. Why are small petals and sepals an advantage to these
flowers? – They are able to be carried by the wind easier than bigger (therefore heavier) flower
petals

5. Why do flowers that are pollinated by insects have large, brightly colored petals? – Because
they are able to attract the attention of the animas.

6. What would be the benefit of having stamen that differ in size from the pistil? – They would be
easier to differentiate