Fertilisation, Dispersal & Germination

This lesson covers:

  1. How fertilisation works in plants 
  2. How the pollen passes down the pollen tube to reach the egg cell

The process of fertilisation:

Diagram showing the process of fertilisation in a flower with a close-up of pollen.

1The first step is pollination, where a pollen grain must land on the stigma. This could happen with the help of insects or the wind as we covered in the previous lesson.

Illustration showing a pollen tube growing through the style of a flower during fertilisation.

2Next, a pollen tube grows out of the pollen grain and down through the stigma and the style.

Illustration showing the micropyle in a flower during fertilisation.

3The pollen tube enters the ovary via a micropyle.

Diagram showing the fertilisation process where the male gamete fertilises the female gamete in a flower.

4The male gamete then passes down the pollen tube and enters the ovary. This is when it fertilises the female gamete cell (egg cell).

Diagram showing fertilisation process where a zygote develops into a seed, the ovule wall becomes the seed coat, and the ovary becomes the fruit.

5Once fertilised, the zygote (fertilised egg cell) develops into a seed, while the ovule wall becomes the seed coat, and the ovary becomes the fruit.

What is the transfer of pollen from the anther to stigma called?

Pollination

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The fusion of the female reproductive nucleus with the male reproductive nucleus is known as:

Pollination

Adoption

Fertilisation

Germination

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A pollen nucleus fertilises an egg nucleus. Is this an example of sexual or asexual reproduction?

Sexual reproduction

Asexual reproduction

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What is the order of the structures through which the pollen tube grows?

Ovary ➔ stigma ➔ style

Style ➔ stigma ➔ ovary

Stigma ➔ style ➔ ovary

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Following fertilisation, which structure becomes the the seed?

Ovule wall

Ovary

Zygote

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Following fertilisation, which structure becomes the the fruit?

Ovule wall

Zygote

Ovary

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