Plants developed by vegetative propagation The vegetatively propagated plants are

usually need less attention than plarnts grown unable to adapt in changing environment.
from seeds.
SEXUAL REPRODUCTION IN PLANTS
Disadvantages of Vegetative Propagation in
Plants The production of new plants from the existing
Diseases present in parent plants spread to all parents by the fusion of their gametes is called
the daughter plants. sexual reproduction. In the sexual reproduction
Vegetative propagules cannot be stored like of plants, the fusion of a male gamete with a
seeds. female gamete leads to the formation of seed.
S) These seeds germinate to form plants. Thus, in
Due to the production of a large number of sexual reproduction, new plants are
obtained
plants within a restricted region, vegetative from existing plants through seeds. Most of the
propagation causes overcrowding.
flowering plants reproduce sexually.
Let's Revisit
nt
Parts of a Flowering Plant
Inclass VI, we have learnt about different parts of a flowering plant.
Most plants have roots, stems and leaves. These are called
2
the vegetative parts of the plant. The flowers perform the function
of of reproduction in plants. So, a flower is the reproductive part 4

of a plant. The male reproductive cell is called male gamete. The

ets female reproductive cell is called female gamete. Let's try to recall
what we knowabout flowers.
(a) Label the parts of the flower in the given picture.

(b) Which part is the male reproductive organ?

(c) Which part is the female reproductive organ?

complete flower. If any of the whorls amongst

ELO: Recall the structure of a flower and differentiate the four whorls is not present, the flower will be
between complete and incomplete flower, unisexual called an incomplete flower.
and bisexual flower. Stamen
anther
FLOWER filament
The plants that bear flowers are called flowering petal
characteristic
Plants. Sexual reproduction is a Pistil stigma
Teature of flowering plants. Flowers are the or
style
ent reproductive parts of the plant. Carpel Ovary
stamen sepal
Let us observe and analyse the position of
the

and pistil in aflower (Fig. 8.16).

(sepals,
Hhaloms
Aflower that contains all the four whorls
gar

called a Fig. 8.16 Structure of a flower

Petals, androecium and gynoecium) is
his

Science -7 125
1. Stamen: Stamen is the male reproductive organ
of the plant. It has two parts an anther and a
Loob Beyond nquiry Driven) (NEP GUIDELINES)
Visit your school garden and explore the
filament (Fig. 8.17). The swollen tip of stamen of flowers. Observe and note the various types
common
is called anther and the stalk of stamen is called present in all flowers, difference in structurestructures
filament. Anther contains the pollen grains. pattern of arrangement of each flower. arnd the
Pollen grains contain the male gametes. Pollen Also try to find the name of each flower.
grains appear as a yellow powdery substance. Unisexual and Bisexual Flowers
pollen grains
The flowers which contain only one organ for
reproduction, either the pistil orthe
anther
stamens, are
called unisexual (or incomplete) flowers. Plant
like papaya, watermelon, cucumber,
bit ergourdBoth
and pumpkin produce unisexual flowers.
stamen the male and female unisexual flowers may be
present in the same plant or in different plants
The flowers which contain both the reproductive
filament organs, pistil as well as stamens, are called
bisexual (or complete) flovwers. Plants like rose
Fig. 8.17 Stamen: male reproductive organ of a plant mustard, gulmohar, lily and china rose produce
bisexual flowers.
2. Pistil: Pistil is the female reproductive MECHANISM OF SEXUAL REPRODUCTION
organ of the plant. It is made of three parts
stigma, style and ovary (Fig. 8.18). The top Sexual reproduction in plants involves the
sticky part of a pistil is called stigma. The following steps:
middle part of the pistil is called style. It is 1. Pollination
a tube that connects stigma to the ovary. The 2. Fertilisation
swollen part at the bottom of a pistil is called 3. Formation of fruit and seeds
ovary. The ovary contains ovules. Ovules 4. Germination of seed
produce female gametes. Each ovule contains
only one female gamete called egg. Let us study these steps in detail.
stigma ELO: Explain the importance of pollination in
style sexual reproduction.
ovule ELO: Differentiate between self and cross
-Ovary pollination.
ovary

POLLINATION
The transfer of pollen grains from the anther
of a flower to the stigma of a flower is called
ways-
Fig. 8.18 Pistil: female reproductive organ of a plant
pollination. Pollination occurs in two
Remember self-pollination and cross-pollination.
seeds
" In sexual reproduction, fusion of male and female gametes leads to the formation of seeds. These
germinate to form new plants.
Stamen is the male reproductive part of a plant while pistil is the female reproductive part.
Pollination is the transfer of pollen grains from the anther to the stigma of a fower.
Science-7
126
 self pollination
stigma
cross pollination stigma

anther

anther

self
pollination

Fig. 8.19 Types of pollination

1. Self-pollination
When the pollen grains from the anther of a The flowers pollinated by insects are large,
Aower are transferred to the stigma of the same bright-coloured and sweet scented. Some
flowers contain nectar also.
Aower (or another flower on the same plant), it is
called self-pollination. The blowing wind carries mature pollen
grains from one flower to another flower and
2. Cross-pollination helps in pollination. Wind pollinated flowers
When the pollen grains from the anther of a are found in plants such as grass, wheat, corn,
flower of one plant are transferred to the stigma sugar cane, rice and maize. These flowers
produce a large number of pollen grains that
of a flower of another plant of the same kind,it are light and non-sticky.
is called cross-pollination. grass
flowers
Generally, pollen grains have a tough protective
Pollination feathery.
coat that prevents them from drying. stigma
always requires some agents to carry pollen
anther
pollencarried/
grains and release them on the stigma. bywind
other animals,
These agents may be insects, birds,
wind and water. Fig. 8.21 Pollination by wind
butterflies and
Many insects such as bees, The pollination in aquatic plants such as
flowers. The Vallisneria and Hydrilla is generally done
moths feed on the nectar of
stick to their by water. The water currents carry mature
pollen grains from the anther pollen grains from one flower to another
bodies and carry away to other flowers. and help in pollination.
stigma
pollens (Inquiry Driven)
carried
by bee
Look Beyand (NEP GUIDELINES)

Nowadays, Artificial Pollination is done to get desired

qualities in crops, fruits or vegetables. Research and
explore more about this technique.
bee
touching ELO: Define fertilisation and discuss the changes
anther that occur in a flower post fertilisation.
insect
Fig. 8.20 Pollination by an
127
Science -7
FERTILISATION FORMATION OF SEEDS AND FRUITS

When a pollen grain falls on the stigma of a flower, it After fertilisation, several changes occur in
a
grows as a thin pollen tube that moves downwards flower, leading to the formation of seeds
[Fig. 8.22 (a)]. This pollen tube penetrates the stigma, fruits. These are: and
passes through the style and enters into the ovule. The ovary of the flower swells and d
The male gamete moves down to the ovule through
1.
i a
to form the fruit. Thus, fruit is
ovary of a flower.
develripenedops
the pollen tube. The tip of the pollen tube bursts open
and male gamete comes out of the pollen tube. The 2. The ovules present in an Ovary grow fo
male gamete fuses with the female gamete present become seeds. A seed contains embryo (baby
in the ovule to form a fertilised egg cell called zygote plant) and one or two cotyledons that stope
[Fig. 8.22 (b)]. The fusion of male gamete with food. There is a tough protective coating
the female gamete to produce zygote is called around the seed which is called 'seed coat
fertilisation. (Fig. 8.23). seed coat
pollen grain 3. The other parts of the flower
stigma like stamens, style and stigma,
male gamete dry and fall off.
pollen tube - moves down the
pollen tube So, at the place on the plant
ovule where wehad a flower originally,
female we noww have a fruit. The fruit
gamete (egg) Fig. 8.23 Kidney
Ovary protects the seeds (Fig. 8.24). bean seed
(a) Some fruits are soft, fleshy, sweet and juicy like
apples, mangoes and oranges. But some fruits are
hard and woody such as almonds and walnuts.
pollen tube apple pea pod
enters ovule and (a fruit) (a fruit)
peas
ovule. male gamete (seed)
zygote fuses with seed
(fertilised egg) female gamete
Ovary

Fig.8.22 Fertilisation in a flower (a) an apple (b) apea pod

Fig. 8.24 The fruit protects seeds of the plant.
Assertion-Reason Based Questions
In the following questions, two statements are given--one (Reasoning)
(R). Select the correct answers to these questions from the labelled Assertion (A) and the other labelled Reason
codes (a), (b), (c) and (d) as given below.
(a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of the
b) Both A and Rare true but R is not the correct assertion.
(c) A is true but R is false.
explanation of the assertion.
(d) A is false but R is true.
1. Assertion: Methods of artificial vegetative propagation are commonly used
Reason: The artificial vegetative propagations are simple, less nowadays.
the plants. expensive and quick methods of multiplyit
2. Assertion: Flowers have various
features for carrying out pollination.
Reason: Some flowers have very long and sticky stigma to easily trap pollen grains that are pollinatea v)
insects.
3. Assertion: The ovule grows to
become a fruit, while ovary develops into seeds.
Reason: The ovary is the part of flower that contains ovules and acts as the site of fertilisation of the ovui
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Science-7