∞ generated and posted on 2016.12.15 ∞
Plant reproductive organ that includes, among other features, an ovule-containing ovary.
Flowers serve as both pollen producers and pollen receivers, though not all flowers do both.
Flowers tend to be pollinated either by animals or by the wind. The more spectacular the looks (and smell!) of a flower, the more likely that it is pollinated by an animal (with color particularly important during the day time).
Flowers additionally nurture the development of seeds and then develop into fruits.
Figure legend: My Easter lilly cactus, 'Lolly', flowering!
Figure legend: My Easter lilly cactus, 'Lolly', budding!
Figure legend: Bearded Iris, flowering in my front yard.
A flower can be described morphologically in terms of their whorls. These are, going from outside in, the sepal, petal, stamen, and carpel. That is, bud covering, the prettiest parts, the male parts, and the female parts, respectively.
A flower that lacks one or more of these whorls is said to be imperfect.