Stamen and Pistil

Flowers have special parts that help plants make seeds. The stamen is the male part of the flower that makes tiny grains called pollen. The stamen has two parts: a thin stalk called the filament and a small sac on top called the anther where pollen is made. You can think of the anther like a tiny bag holding dust.

The pistil is the female part of the flower found in the center. The pistil has three main parts. At the top is the stigma, which is sticky and catches pollen. Below the stigma is a tube called the style. At the bottom is the ovary, which is like a small room where seeds develop.

When pollen from the stamen lands on the stigma of the pistil, something amazing happens. The pollen travels down the style to reach the ovary. Inside the ovary, the pollen helps create seeds. These seeds can grow into new plants. Without the stamen and pistil working together, flowering plants could not reproduce and make new plants.

Different flowers have different numbers of stamens and pistils. Some flowers have many stamens surrounding one pistil. Other flowers have just a few of each part.

Interesting Fact: A single sunflower head can contain over 1,000 tiny flowers, and each one has its own stamen and pistil!