Sexual Reproduction in Flowering Plants

1. Flower – Reproductive Organ

Floral Whorl	Components	Function	NCERT Example
Calyx	Sepals	Protects bud	Mustard
Corolla	Petals	Attract pollinators	Hibiscus
Androecium	Stamens	Male reproduction	Lily
Gynoecium	Pistil	Female reproduction	Pea

2. Male Reproductive Structure (Anther)

Important Facts

Feature	Description
Typical Anther	Bilobed
Microsporangia	4
Pollen-producing structure	Microsporangium

Wall Layers

Layer	Function
Epidermis	Protection
Endothecium	Dehiscence
Middle Layers	Temporary nourishment
Tapetum	Nourishes pollen grains

NCERT Examples

Concept	Example
Tapetal abnormalities cause	Male sterility
Sporopollenin-rich pollen	All flowering plants

3. Microsporogenesis

Sequence

PMC (2n) → Meiosis → 4 Microspores (n)

NCERT Example

Concept	Example
Microspore tetrad	Lily

4. Pollen Grain

Structure

Part	Composition
Exine	Sporopollenin
Intine	Cellulose + Pectin

Cells

Cell	Function
Vegetative Cell	Pollen tube formation
Generative Cell	Male gametes formation

NCERT Examples

Concept	Example
Pollen viability for months	Rosaceae, Fabaceae, Solanaceae
Pollen viability for 30 min	Rice, Wheat
Pollen tablets	Nutritional supplements

5. Female Reproductive Structure (Ovule)

Parts

Part	Function
Funicle	Attachment
Hilum	Junction
Micropyle	Entry of pollen tube
Nucellus	Nutrition
Chalaza	Basal region

NCERT Example

Concept	Example
Anatropous ovule	Most angiosperms

6. Megasporogenesis

MMC → Meiosis → 4 Megaspores

NCERT Facts

Feature	Fact
Functional Megaspore	One
Degenerating Megaspores	Three

7. Embryo Sac

Mature Embryo Sac

Characteristic	Value
Cells	7
Nuclei	8
Development	Monosporic

Arrangement

Region	Components
Micropylar End	Egg + 2 Synergids
Central Cell	2 Polar Nuclei
Chalazal End	3 Antipodals

NCERT Examples

Concept	Example
Typical embryo sac	Polygonum type
Filiform apparatus	Synergids

8. Pollination

Types

Type	Definition	Example
Autogamy	Same flower	Pea, Wheat
Geitonogamy	Different flowers of same plant	Maize
Xenogamy	Different plants	Papaya

9. Pollinating Agents

Wind Pollination (Anemophily)

Features

Light pollen
Dry pollen
Feathery stigma

NCERT Examples

Plant	Characteristic
Maize	Wind pollination
Coconut	Wind pollination
Grasses	Wind pollination

Water Pollination (Hydrophily)

NCERT Examples

Plant	Characteristic
Vallisneria	Surface pollination
Zostera	Submerged pollination

Insect Pollination (Entomophily)

NCERT Examples

Plant	Characteristic
Salvia	Insect pollinated
Sunflower	Insect pollinated
Orchid	Insect pollinated

Orchid Special Example

Orchid	Pollinator
Ophrys	Bee

Bird Pollination

Example
Erythrina

Bat Pollination

Example
Kigelia

10. Outbreeding Devices

Device	Function
Dichogamy	Different maturation times
Herkogamy	Physical separation
Self-Incompatibility	Genetic barrier
Dioecy	Separate sexes

NCERT Examples

Device	Example
Dioecy	Papaya
Self-incompatibility	Brassica

11. Artificial Hybridization

Emasculation

Removal of anthers before dehiscence.

Example

Plant Type	Method
Bisexual Flower	Emasculation needed
Unisexual Female Flower	Emasculation not required

Bagging

Covering flower to prevent contamination.

12. Double Fertilization

Syngamy

Male gamete + Egg → Zygote

Triple Fusion

Male gamete + 2 Polar Nuclei → PEN

Double Fertilization

Occurs only in flowering plants.

NCERT Example

Concept	Example
Double fertilization	All Angiosperms

13. Endosperm

Function

Provides nutrition to embryo.

Types

Type	Example
Nuclear	Coconut
Cellular	Datura
Helobial	Monocots

NCERT Example

Structure	Example
Free nuclear endosperm	Coconut Water
Cellular endosperm	Coconut Kernel

14. Embryo

Dicot Embryo

Example

Plant
Pea
Gram

Monocot Embryo

Example

Plant
Maize
Wheat

Important Structures

Structure	Function
Scutellum	Cotyledon
Coleoptile	Protects plumule
Coleorhiza	Protects radicle

15. Seed

Dicot Seed

Example
Pea
Gram
Bean

Monocot Seed

Example
Maize
Wheat
Rice

16. Apomixis

Seed formation without fertilization.

NCERT Examples

Example	Type
Citrus	Apomixis
Mango	Apomixis
Asteraceae	Apomixis
Grasses	Apomixis

17. Polyembryony

More than one embryo in a seed.

NCERT Examples

Example
Citrus
Orange
Mango

NCERT Examples Master Table

Concept	Example
Autogamy	Pea, Wheat
Geitonogamy	Maize
Xenogamy	Papaya
Wind Pollination	Maize, Coconut
Water Pollination	Vallisneria, Zostera
Insect Pollination	Salvia, Sunflower
Bird Pollination	Erythrina
Bat Pollination	Kigelia
Dioecious Plant	Papaya
Self-Incompatibility	Brassica
Typical Embryo Sac	Polygonum
Orchid Pollination	Ophrys–Bee
Free Nuclear Endosperm	Coconut Water
Monocot Seed	Maize
Dicot Seed	Pea
Apomixis	Citrus, Mango
Polyembryony	Citrus
Long-Lived Pollen	Rosaceae, Fabaceae, Solanaceae
Short-Lived Pollen	Rice, Wheat