Some textbook-style images of flower structures. The flowers of every species we see and read about will be modifications on this general theme. Change the number of parts, omit some, change the position of the ovary, fuse sepals and/or petals, and BABA-BING BABA-BOOM, you create any flower in the world.

First, a general flower diagram here plus the events of development on the female side. And a nice view of ovules revealed by dissecting away part of an ovary. Can you place all of these things in the context of sexual reproduction? (Uh, that would be meiosis and/or syngamy, right?)

Then some floral anatomy and self- and cross-pollination of Mendel's peas. It should be pretty clear that his cross-pollinations involved a lot more work than his self-pollinations. Do you see why? And, by the way, is self-pollination a form sexual reproduction? (Answer all these cool questions sprinkled about the web pages and you'll be ready to ace all the exams.) All these words familiar enough?

Now have a look at at a diagram of pollen tubes growing toward the ovule

And to end, a comparison of orchid floral structure with a more typical unspecialized arrangement:

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