Parts of a Flower

Outer Parts

• The outer parts of a flower consist of a stem, leaves, sepals and petals. The stem connects the flower to the roots in the ground while simultaneously growing toward the sun to help the flower collect light to make food. Leaves absorb sunlight for photosynthesis, converting nutrients absorbed by the roots into usable sugars. The sepals protect the nectary at the base of the petals. They look like tiny, green petals holding the petals like a cup. The bulb-shaped nectary holds the sweet nectar that gives flowers their sweet scent.

  Collectively, the petals are called the corolla. They're usually colorful and showy, attracting birds and insects that are beneficial to the flower.

Stamen

• The stamens are a flower's male parts. A stamen's parts consist of a thin filament growing up from the center of the flower. An "anther" sits at the top of each filament. These tiny, brown bulbs produce pollen. The pollen fertilizes the flower and starts the seed-making process. Pollen can get to the flower's female parts on the wind, a bee's legs, a butterfly's tongue or a bird's beak. The scents and colors of the flowers attract these creatures to aid in pollination.

Pistil

• The center of every flower holds a pistil. This is the name for the collective female flower parts. The tip of the pistil contains a tiny, sticky opening. Pollen sticks to the opening and slides down the style -- a long, thin channel leading to the large, round ovary. The ovary is nestled in the very center of the flower. It contains ovules, or eggs, that develop into seeds when fertilized by pollen.