Purpose of the Flower

• While we just enjoy flowers for their beauty, the parts of the flower actually have a very important function for the plant. In most plants, the flower is where the reproductive parts of the plants are found. The male part, called the stamen, contains the pollen, which are the reproductive cells. The female part, called the pistil, contains the ovules, or eggs. In order for a plant to reproduce, the eggs must be fertilized by the pollen.
  
  

Fertilization

• In order for the pollen to fertilize the ovules, the pollen must travel down the tube of the pistil. Sometimes wind or rain can help the pollen reach the pistil, though this does not occur by chance as often as is necessary to keep large numbers of plants blooming. A better way for pollination to occur is when living organisms, such as bees, butterflies and birds, help the pollen into the pistil. Without this help, the plant's ovules will not be fertilized, and therefore the plant will not be able to grow fruit or produce seeds for another plant. If enough plants within a species are not pollinated so that they can reproduce, that plant species would become extinct.
  
  

Attraction

• In order to attract pollinating animals to the reproductive organs of a plant, the plant produces nectar, a sweet liquid on which these animals and insects feed. The petals on the flower act as a colorful flag that advertises the nectar within, and the sweet smell of the blossom is emitted to attract those animals that don't see colors. When the creatures approach the blossom to drink the nectar, tiny pollen rubs off on them. When the animal moves on to sip nectar from other parts of the plants, the pollen rubs off onto the pistil. Cross-pollination also can occur, which is when the pollen from one plant is carried by an animal and rubs off onto the pistil of a different kind of plant. This is how new plant species are created.
  
  

Reproduction

• The ovary is the bottom part of the pistil, where the ovules are kept. Once the ovules are fertilized, the ovary swells and becomes the fruit. The fruit may be an actual fruit, certain types of vegetables or berries. As the fruit grows, so do the seeds inside of it. The plant grows delicious-tasting fruits so that animals, including humans, will pluck them from the plant and eat them. The seeds that are discarded from eaten fruit will grow into more plants. This is how plants ensure the survival of their species. Flowers bloom in order to allow this entire process to take place.