Page 22 - (DK) Flowers
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All about pollen                                                                     A pollen grain      Stigma      Pollen in close-up

                                                                                            lands on the
                                                                                            stigma and                      Pollen grains are so small
                                                                                                                            that about 50 of them can
                                                                                            grows a tube
       Every living thing on Earth is made up of tiny parts,                                to the ovary.                   fit on a pinhead. Every plant
       called cells. A plant cannot grow until two kinds of                                                                 has its own type of pollen.
                                                                                                                           Some are round, while others
       cell join together. One kind of cell is called an ovule.                                                            are shaped like triangles
       Ovules are formed in the base of the flower, inside a                                                               or sausages.
       chamber called an ovary. The other kind of cell is called                                          A seed is
                                                                                                          formed here,
       a pollen grain. Pollen grains are tiny. They have to join                                          in the ovary.       Magnified pollen
                                                                                                                              grain of a hollyhock
       up with the ovules from another flower, so they have                                 Pollen at the ready
       to move from one flower to another.                                                  This lily bud has been
                                                                                            cut in half to reveal its
                     Stamen        Coming and going                                         stamens and stigma. At
                                   This lily flower makes ovules as well                    the end of each stamen
                                     as pollen grains. However, it will only                is a dark orange anther.
                                       form seeds if it receives pollen that                This makes the pollen,                 Spikes                 Hollyhock
                                       has traveled from another lily flower.               which is like a fine dust.                                    plant


                                                                                                   Anther






                                                       The stigma is a
                                                       landing platform
                                                       that receives pollen
                                                       from other flowers.

                                                                                                                                 Sticky business
                                                                                                   A single anther               Pollen grains are often sticky. When
                                     The pollen grains are                                          makes millions               a bee visits a flower, it cannot keep
                                     made at the end of                                             of pollen grains.            from brushing against the anthers
                                     the stamens in anthers.                                                                     and getting covered in pollen.
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   US_024-025_All_about_pollen.indd   24                                   06/09/18   11:38 AM  US_024-025_All_about_pollen.indd   25                           06/09/18   11:38 AM
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