Plants undergo a life cycle which includes stages such as germination, growth, flowering and seed formation. In this article we will focus on the flowering lifecycle.
Once a seed reaches optimal conditions of moisture, warmth, and light, it sprouts into a seedling with roots growing down to anchor it into the earth, while stems extending upward absorb water and sunlight for photosynthesis.
Seeds
Seeds are the embryo of any plant, protected by an outer hard shell. When exposed to suitable conditions for germination, however, the shell breaks open and sprouting occurs – creating what is commonly referred to as a sprout or seedling – with roots growing into the soil to secure itself and leaves coming up through photosynthesis to make food. It’s this process which gives plants their green hue as they continue growing as adults.
Once a seedling reaches maturity, it will produce flowers for reproduction purposes. A flower contains both male and female parts: stamen, filament, anther, pistil and carpel; the stamen produces pollen grains which must reach another flower from either its own plant or another one for fertilization – this process is known as cross-pollination.
After fertilization occurs, flower seeds develop and mature before being dispersed by wind, animals or water to other areas. Once these seeds gather the necessary elements – like water and temperature conditions – and land in suitable locations they can germinate into new plants.
Seeds must be exposed to sunlight in order for them to germinate, while many plants produce fruits which serve as the fleshy ripened ovaries of their plant and serve to disseminate its seeds further – brightly-colored apples or bananas may attract animals that will eat them and then help spread its seeds – an integral part of life cycle plant evolution that ensures genetic diversity amongst plants.
Seedlings
Plants play an essential role in our daily lives by providing food, building materials and more. Furthermore, plants create seeds which can be dispersed to form new plants – beginning the life cycle again! A seed is like an immature version of its mature counterpart; once in soil containing enough moisture and oxygen levels necessary for its development – known as germination.
Seeds sprout roots down into the soil, followed by shoots up towards the light. These shoots carry water and nutrients from its roots up towards its stem, as well as supporting leaves that capture sunlight for photosynthesis to create energy for its own survival.
As plants reach maturity and begin reproducing, they produce flowers. Each flower features male and female reproductive parts known as stamens and pistils in its center; when insects visit to sip the sweet nectar from its sweet blossoms, pollen grains move from stamens to pistils until meeting up with female gametes within its ovules, fertilisation takes place resulting in fruit produced that contains its seeds which will then be dispersed via wind, animals or humans.
Once a seed has been planted, its development can take time due to redirected energy and resources into producing flowers, fruits and seeds – each phase requires different nutrition.
Leaves
Plants produce their food through photosynthesis. This occurs when they absorb carbon dioxide and water from the atmosphere and use them with sunlight to generate sugar sap, oxygen and nutrients for themselves. Leaves consist of two major parts – inner mesophyll tissue and outer epidermis layer – with photosynthesis taking place within the former’s spongy layer; veins carry nutrients throughout it as it travels from one vein to the next in veins that run along it’s length – giving its color through chlorophyll pigment which gives plants their distinct hue!
Once a seed is planted in an ideal environment, it will germinate into a seedling and eventually a plant. From there it will start producing leaves and forming stems, eventually producing flowers which when pollinated will develop into fruits containing seeds for propagation.
Once fertilised, seeds will sprout into plants with leaves that multiply exponentially as it produces flowers that form fruit; its seeds then dispersed into its surroundings where, given optimal conditions, some may germinate to start the cycle anew.
Plants play an essential part in our natural world and ecosystems, aiding water, nitrogen and carbon cycles as well as our climate. Without plants our climate would change dramatically!
Flowers
Flowering plants (Angiosperms) possess the unique ability to attract pollinators and spread their seeds, but do so through a complex lifecycle process involving five key stages: germination, growth, reproduction, pollination and seed dispersion.
As it grows from a seedling into an established plant, its roots spread out from its stem and leaves, taking up water and nutrients from its surroundings, while its stem and leaves extend upward toward the sun for photosynthesis – turning carbon dioxide, water and light into sugars that it stores within its leaves, roots and stems.
Once a plant has reached maturity, it begins to produce flowers. Their petals often feature vibrant hues and scents to draw pollinators like bees and butterflies to pollenate it. At its center lies two structures, an anther for male flowers (called anthers ) and its counterpart, called pistil (for female). Within each pistil resides an organ known as style that serves to catch pollen; pollen travels down this tube before meeting up with female gametes contained within ovules of anthers (pistil ) where pollen meets female gametes to fertilize them.
Pollination will result in fertilized seeds being dispersed into the surrounding environment and then eventually grow into new plants, perpetuating this cycle. Some flowers, like annuals, complete this process in one year while other varieties such as corn beans and zinnia take two years.
Fruits
Flowers use pollen to fertilise female plant parts that then combine with male pollen to form fertilised seeds inside an ovary, which are then protected in fruit formation before dispersion to restart their cycle of reproduction.
Fruits come in all shapes and sizes, yet all share one central structure – an ovary. Fruit can either be dry, like walnuts or peaches, or fleshy like an apple or banana; sometimes their skin also helps protect their seeds.
Each ovary contains the reproductive organs of a flower. If a male flower (stamens) produces pollen grains that travel to female flowers where they combine with its ovule to produce fertilised seeds in fruit. Flowers with vibrant colours and scents often attract insects who will carry this pollen around.
Once a seed has been fertilised and grown into a plant, it can start producing its own food. Leaves capture sunlight and convert it to energy that’s stored by roots and stem – this process is called photosynthesis. As time progresses, new leaves sprout on which to collect sunlight to further power photosynthesis; transporting nutrients down from roots up towards leaves so more light can reach photosynthesis cells; flowers play an integral part of a plant’s lifecycle by giving new sources of energy and reproduction ability to the whole.