Reproduction in Plants and Animals

reproduction

Reproduction is a process by which an organism produces offspring, or young. All organisms reproduce. If they didn’t, no species would survive past a single generation. Reproduction allows organisms to pass their traits, or characteristics, to their offspring. Parents pass on their traits through their genetic material, or DNA. These puppies are a product of sexual reproduction.

Sexual reproduction

requires two parents.

Sexual reproduction requires a male and female. Each parent contributes half their genetic material, or DNA, to the offspring

fertilization

occurs when the male and female sex cells unite to form a seed

pollination

the process of fertilizing flowers by transferring pollen from the male parts to the female parts

Petals

surround the plant’s reproductive parts of the flower. Petals are usually a colorful structure arranged in a circle around the top of the stem.

Sepals

are modified leaves that encase a developing flower. Sepals are the sterile parts of the flower and are usually green or leaf like.

stamen

is the male reproductive organ of a flower

pistil

is the female reproductive organ of a flower

Asexual Reproduction

a mode of reproduction in which a new offspring is produced by a single parent

asexual reproduction

Some organisms reproduce by budding. In budding, a smaller version of the parent organism grows out of the parent

eukaryotic

describes an organism that has cells with a nucleus and other membrane-bound organelles

Asexual Reproduction in Plants

Plants can reproduce asexually through a process called vegetative propagation. An entire new plant can grow out of a portion of the plant.