Answer Key to Coursebook

Chapter 2 - Plant Life: The Flower

Questions, p. 27
1. reproductive 2. Androecium 3. anthers
4. stigma 5. thalamus

Questions, p. 30
1. 1: seed; 2: endocarp; 3: mesocarp; 4: epicarp
2. pericarp
3. fertilized ovule
4. The part of the seed developed from the zygote turns into the embryo.

Exercises, p. 32

Section I
A. 1. Gynoecium 2. Pedicel 3. Ovary 4. Embryo 5. Mesocarp
B. 1. d. Epicarp 2. b. Ovary 3. c. Maize 4. c. Radicle 5. b. Maize
C. 1. All the floral parts are seated on the thalamus.
2. The outermost whorl of a flower consists of sepals.
3. Animal-pollinated flowers have bright colours.
4. The anther produces pollen grains.
5. The ripened ovary is called fruit.
D. 1. Flower 2. ovule 3. plumule
4. cotyledons 5. Dicot
E. 1. Pedicel is the odd one out as it is not the whorl of a flower
2. Anther is the odd one as it is a part of the gynoecium while the others are parts of the
gynoecium.
3. Seed is the odd one as the others are parts of the pericarp.

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4. Lightweight pollen is the odd one as it is a feature of wind- and water-pollinated flowers
while the others are features of animal-pollinated flowers.
5. Fruit is the odd one as the others are parts of a seed.
F. 1. Thalamus - At the top of pedicel 2. Pedicel - Below the thalamus
3. Style - Stalk of flower) 4. Pollen grains - In the anther
5. Endocarp - Between the seed and mesocarp
G. 1. d 2. g 3. a 4. b 5. c
SECTION II
H. 1. Pollen from wind-pollinated plants may not always land on the receiving flowers, and
can fall on other flowers as well. Therefore, to increase the chances of pollination, these
plants produce a greater number of pollen grains.
2. Flowers pollinated by insects may be sweetly scented to attract the insects.
3. Unisexual flowers may have either the androecium or gynoecium, but not both. Therefore,
self-pollination is not possible.
4. When water is absorbed by the seed coat, the seed coat swells up and cracks. This allows
the radicle and plumule to emerge from the seed. This is why dry seeds cannot germinate.
I. 1. A cotyledon or a seed leaf is present in a seed either singly or as a pair that surrounds the
embryo. It provides the germinating seedling with nutrients.
2. The embryo is the part of the seed that develops from the zygote. It consists of the radicle
(embryonic root) and the plumule (embryonic shoot).
3. Pollination is the transfer of pollen grains from the anther to the stigma of a flower or
between flowers of the same species.
4. The fusion of male and female gamete is called fertilization.
5. Germination is the process by which a dormant embryo in a seed develops into a young
plant or seedling.
J. 1. Self-pollination Cross-pollination
It is the transfer of pollen grains from the It involves the transfer of pollen grains
anther to the stigma of the same flower or from the anther of a flower of one plant to
of a flower borne on the same plant. the stigma of a flower of another plant of
the same species.
2. Animal-pollinated flowers Water-pollinated flowers
They are large, showy and brightly They are not showy or colourful.
coloured.
The pollen grains are sticky or spiny so The pollen grains are very lightweight. The
that they are carried away on the bodies of stigmas of the receiving flowers too are
insects and other animals. sticky or feathery to catch the pollen grains.
They may be sweetly scented or produce They do not have nectar or a scent.
sugary nectar to attract animals.
The flowers of sunflower and hibiscus are The flowers of the maize plant are wind-
wind-pollinated. pollinated.
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3. Dry fruit Fleshy fruit

The entire pericarp becomes dry at maturity. The pericarp develops into succulent tissue.
The pericarp is thin and cannot be At maturity, the pericarp is soft and fleshy
differentiated into epicarp, mesocarp, and and can be differentiated into outer epicarp,
endocarp. middle mesocarp, and inner endocarp.
Examples are garden peas and walnuts. Examples are mangoes and oranges.
4. Monocot seeds Dicot seeds
Only one cotyledon is present. Two cotyledons are present.
The endosperm persists in these seeds. The endosperm is reduced and is contained
in the cotyledons.
In all monocots, during germination, the In most dicots, during germination, the
cotyledon remains in the soil or just at its cotyledons are pushed above the soil
surface. It dries up after the leaves appear. surface. They become green in colour and
dry up after the appearance of the first
leaves.
Examples are rice and maize. Examples are pea and bean.
K. 1. The thalamus is the swollen, suppressed end of the stalk on which other floral parts are
arranged.
2. Calyx: The main function of the sepals that constitute the calyx is to protect the flower when
it is a bud. Sepals are usually green and can therefore prepare food by photosynthesis.
Corolla: The main function of the petals that constitute the corolla is to attract insects and
other animals for pollination using their bright colours.
3. Each stamen consists of a long filament with an anther at the tip. A carpel consists of the
stigma, style, and an ovary containing ovules.
4. The two types of pollination in flowering plants are self-pollination and cross-pollination.
5. Wind-pollinated flower: Maize
Water-pollinated flower: Vallisneria
Insect-pollinated flower: Sunflower
6. A fleshy fruit contains the seed within it. It also has a well-developed pericarp that can
be differentiated into outer epicarp, middle mesocarp, and inner endocarp.
L. 1. Refer to Fig. 2.1 on page 24 of the coursebook diagram.
A flower generally consists of four parts or whorls: calyx, corolla, androecium, and
gynoecium.
Calyx: This is the outermost whorl of a flower. It consists of leaf-like structures called
sepals, which may be five or more in number. The main function of sepals is to protect the
flower when it is a bud. They are usually green and also prepare food by photosynthesis.
Corolla: This is the second whorl of a flower. It consists of a ring of petals. Petals are
generally brightly coloured and scented to attract insects for pollination.
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Androecium: This is the male reproductive part of the flower. It consists of several stamens.
Each stamen has a long slender filament with an anther at its tip. Anthers produce dust-like
pollen grains. These pollen grains contain the male gametes or male reproductive cells.
Gynoecium: This is the female reproductive part of the flower. It is centrally located and
is made up of units called carpels or pistils. Each carpel has three parts—the stigma, style
and ovary.
2. Pollination between two flowers borne on two different apple trees in a garden is possible
by cross-pollination. This involves the transfer of pollen grains from the anther of a flower
of one apple tree to the stigma of a flower of another apple tree. Two agents that would
be able to pollinate such flowers are bees and birds.
3. When a pollen grain lands on the stigma of a flower, it germinates in response to a sugary
substance secreted from the stigma. The pollen grain develops a pollen tube that grows
into the style, carrying the male gamete. The pollen tube reaches the ovary and then the
ovule. The male gamete is released into the ovule and fuses with the egg. The fusion of
male and female gamete is called fertilization. After fertilization, a single-celled zygote is
formed that divides further to form an embryo.
4. After fertilization, the flower undergoes several changes. All the parts of the flower, except
the ovary, wither away. The petals, sepals, and stamens shrink and fall off. In some plants
such as the tomato and brinjal, the sepals persist in the fruit. The ovary enlarges and turns
into the fruit. The fertilized ovule develops into seed. The seed contains the embryo, which
develops into a baby plant.
5. A fleshy fruit contains the seed within it. It also has a well-developed pericarp that can
be differentiated into outer epicarp, middle mesocarp, and inner endocarp.
6. Refer to Fig. 2.12 on page 29 of the coursebook for the diagram.
A dicot seed generally consists of the following parts.
Seed coat: This is the outer protective cover of a seed that protects the internal parts. It
absorbs water and softens so that it can break open at germination. Water enters the seed
through a small opening called the micropyle.
Embryo: This is the part of the seed that develops from the zygote. It consists of the radicle
and plumule. The radicle is the embryonic root that grows into the root system when the
seed germinates. The plumule is the embryonic shoot that forms the shoot system after
germination.
Cotyledons: A dicot seed contains two cotyledons or seed leaves. They surround the embryo
and provide nutrients for the seedling during germination. In dicots, the endosperm is
reduced and is contained within the cotyledons.

Picture Study, p. 35
1. a. The flower is bisexual.
b. 1: anther 2: stigma 3: style 4: filament
5: sepal 6: ovary 7: petal

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c. Part 1: The anther produces dust-like pollen grains, which contain the male gametes
or male reproductive cells.
Part 2: The stigma forms the surface on which the pollen grains are received during
pollination.
Part 4: The filament bears the anther at the tip.
Part 6: The ovary contains the ovules, which have eggs or female gametes within them.
The ovary forms the fruit after fertilization.
d. Part 6 or the ovary changes into the fruit after fertilization.
2. a. The process shown in the picture is germination. Germination is the process by which
a dormant embryo in a seed develops into a young plant or seedling.
b. The seed is a bean seed and it is a dicot seed.
c. Part 1 or the radicle grows into the root system of the new plant. Part 2 or the seed is
germinated and grows into a new plant.
d. Part 3 is likely to dry up and fall off after the first leaves appear in the seedling.

My Learning Corner, p. 36
If all the seeds fall under the parent plant, they would compete with each other and the parent
plant for air, water, and sunlight. Many of the seeds may not survive.

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