Question

Explain the term pistillate flower

Answer 1

Pistillate flower:

1. A typical flower contains both male and female reproductive parts in it.
2. The stamens are the male reproductive part while the Carpel or pistil is the female reproductive part.
3. In a flower, where no stamens but only pistils are present, then the flower is said to be pistillate.
4. When a flower contains both male and female reproductive parts, it is a complete flower.
5. Hence, the Pistillate flower is an incomplete flower.
6. Pistillate flowers are unisexual, Female flowers.
7. If only pistillate flowers are present on the plant then the plant is dioecious.
8. But if pistillate and staminate are both types of flowers present on the same plant, then the plant is monoecious.
9. Pistillate flowers are able to form embryos after fertilization, and hence seeds finally.

Pistillate flower structure:

1. Pistillate flowers may or may not contain both sepals or petals as accessory whorls.
2. Inside sepals and petals, Gynoecium is present.
3. The gynoecium is divided into three parts, namely, stigma, style, and ovary.
4. The ovary is a swollen basal part.
5. The style is a narrow, long, tube-like part that connects the ovary to the stigma.
6. Stigma is the upper part that receives pollen grains for fertilization.
7. After receiving pollens, pollens travel through style towards the ovary, to carry out fertilization.
8. Fertilization leads to the development of seeds.

Examples of pistillate flowers:

Chrysanthemum, cucumber, eggplant, squash, etc.