What Are Stamens in Plants?

Anthers

• The anther is a pouch-like structure at the top of the flower. Inside the anther are microsporangia, structures within which pollen is produced through meiosis. Anthers hold the pollen they make, so they are usually yellow. Each anther is held up by a filament, a long, thin stalk. Each stamen consists of several anthers and filaments. Occasionally, the anthers of a flower are clumped together, such as in gloxinia, or grouped to form a cone.

Filaments

• The plant's filaments are long, thin, hairlike stalks that hold up the anthers. The filaments contain vascular bundles that move water and nutrients up to the anthers. The filaments of a stamen vary in length. Some flowers have very short filaments, while others, such as bottlebrush, have long, showy filaments. Some flowers, such as trumpet flowers, have both short and long filaments. Filaments may grow in clumps or in a ring around the flower.

Flower Reproduction

• Flowers reproduce when the anther releases pollen, which contains the male gametophyte. Wind, bees, butterflies, bats, or other sources move the pollen from the anther to the stigma, a sticky area at the top of the pistil. The pollen moves from the stigma down to the ovary, where the flower develops a seed and a fruit, or ripened ovary. Flowers may pollinate their own stigma or that of another flower.

Fun Fact

• Although some flowers are male or female, others have both sets of reproductive parts. Flowers that have either male or female reproductive parts, such as flowers of pumpkin vines, are referred to as imperfect flowers. Perfect flowers, such as roses and lilies, contain both male and female reproductive parts.