In order
for sexual reproduction to take place, the male sex cells must reach the female
sex cells. In plants, this process is known as pollination.
During pollination, pollen from an
anther is transferred to a stigma. When this occurs within one flower, it is
called self-pollination.
When it involves pollen from one plant
and a stigma from another plant, it is called cross-pollination.
Cross-pollination usually occurs when wind, insects or birds carry pollen from a
flower on plant to another plant.
The processes of life
Getting
the pollen to the female is pretty straightforward. There are two exciting ways
it can happen:
Some
flowers are pollinated by the