From flower to seed
A mango tree is full of flowers. Later, mangoes grow. Each one has a seed inside. How does a flower make a seed?
Pollen is the fine dust in a flower. It holds the male gametes. An ovule is a tiny part inside the flower. Each ovule holds a female gamete.
Step 1 of 4
- A flower holds pollen and ovules.
- Wind or an insect carries pollen to a flower.
- A male gamete joins a female gamete in an ovule.
- The ovule becomes a seed.
The rule
Pollination moves pollen to a flower. Fertilisation is when a male gamete and a female gamete join. The ovule then becomes a seed.
Wind, insects or animals carry pollen. This is pollination. When the gametes join, that is fertilisation.
| Step | What happens | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Pollination | Pollen moves to a flower | Carried by wind, insects or animals |
| Fertilisation | A male and a female gamete join | Inside the ovule |
Watch out!
Pollination is not fertilisation. Pollination moves pollen. Fertilisation is when gametes join.
Sort each event. Is it pollination or fertilisation?
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