Where Do the Eggs Develop in a Typical Flower?

Structure of the Pistil

• The pistil is usually found in the center of the flower. Its shape is similar to a bowling pin or bud vase. The stigma on the top of the pistil, is sticky to attach the pollen. The ovary is located at the bottom of the pistil, near where the petals are attached. It is the location of the eggs or ovules. The style is a tube-shaped structure that connects the stigma and the ovary.

Structure of the Stamen

• Pollen is released from sacs called anthers. The anthers extend from near the center of the flowers on stalks called filaments. The pollen is often carried away from the anthers by insects or the wind.

Making a Seed

• When released from the anthers, the pollen sticks to the stigma. It travels down the style and fertilizes the ovules or eggs in the ovary. The ovules develop into the seeds. The ovary usually protects the developing seeds and can help with seed dispersion. For example, in tomato plants (Solanum lycopersicum), the tomato is the ovary of the plant and the seeds are inside.

Plant Variations

• Plants such as tulips (Tulipa gesneriana) have perfect flowers with both stamens and pistils in the same flower. Plants or trees such as maple trees (Acer rubrum) have flowers with pistils on some plants and flowers with stamens on other plants. A third possibility is found on plants such as corn plants (Zea mays). These plants have some flowers with pistils and some with stamen on the same plant.