Section 3.6 Plant Reproduction Vocabulary Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards defining key terms related to asexual and sexual plant reproduction, floral structures, pollination, and seed dispersal from Section 3.6.

Spore

A reproductive body, produced by fungi and some plants, that develops into a new individual.

Vegetative propagation

A form of asexual reproduction in which only one plant is involved.

Bulb

An underground stem for food storage where food is stored in large leaves and each bulb develops into a new plant.

Runner

A stem that grows on top of and across the ground, from an existing stem, producing new plants.

Tuber

An underground stem that contains stored food, whose eyes can develop into new plants.

Rhizome

A long modified stem that grows horizontally under the ground, from which new plants grow.

Cutting

A human-induced method of asexual reproduction that involves taking pieces of a root or stem, each growing into a new plant.

Grafting

A human-induced method of asexual reproduction involving connecting part of a plant to another plant, combining the two plants.

Pollen

The male gamete in flowering plants.

Embryo sac

The female gamete in flowering plants.

Ovule

A structure in a flowering plant where the female gamete is produced and where seeds develop.

Stamen

The male part of the flower; consists of the filament and anther.

Anther

The part of the stamen that produces and holds pollen.

Filament

The long stalk that holds the anther.

Pistil (carpel)

The female part of the flower; consists of the stigma, style and ovary.

Stigma

The sticky head on the top of a stalk in the centre of the flower where pollen grains stick.

Style

The long stalk that the pollen grain grows through into the ovary.

Ovary

The structure in a flower where the female gamete (ovule) is housed.

Petal

The colourful part of the flower that attracts insects or other pollinators.

Environmental DNA (eDNA)

Traces of DNA left by animals in the environment, such as in soil, water and air.

Pollination

The process by which pollen, containing the male reproductive cells of a plant, is transferred from the male part of a flower to the female part of a flower.

Nectar

A sweet liquid produced by flowers to attract pollinators.

Self-pollination

Pollination that occurs when pollen is transferred from the same flower or from another flower on the same plant.

Cross-pollination

Pollination that occurs when pollen is transferred from a flower on one plant to a flower on another plant.

Palynology

The name for the study of pollen grains.

Fruit

In plant science, any seed-containing structure that develops from the ovary of a flowering plant.

Seed

A plant embryo enclosed in a protective coating.

Seed dispersal

The spread of seeds away from the parent plant.

Pappus

A fluffy tuft that acts as a parachute to carry dandelion seeds away in the wind.