Flower Anatomy 101

We all know what a flower looks like, and if we asked you to describe one physically, we bet you wouldn’t do half bad. But do you know all the technical names for the parts of a flower and what makes one complete (other than the obvious)? If not, we’re here to help.

Grab your pen and paper and get ready to take some notes on flowers and flower anatomy.

Petals

A flower’s petals are the colorful outer layer that you probably put your nose near to smell its scent. When referred to all together, they are known as the “corolla.”

Sepals

The sepals are a protective layer that covers the flower buds. Typically green in color, these are called “calyx” when viewed collectively — you can think of these as looking rather leaf-life.

Receptacle

This one’s simple — the receptacle is simply the base of the flower.

Peduncle

Moving downward from the receptacle, the peduncle is the stalk of a flower.

Now that you know four of the main parts of a flower, we’re going to get a bit more specific. Did you know that flowers have both male and female characteristics? Here's a look at each and details about their distinct features.

Female characteristics

Pistil

The pistil is the central female organ of any flower. Located in the center of the flower, it comprises the ovary, ovules, stigma, and style.

Here is the function of each.

• Ovary - Holds the ovules, and is typically be found at the bottom of the pistil.
• Ovules - Located within the ovary, these are the flower’s eggs that later turn into seeds.
• Stigma - The organ that receives the pollen that is created by the flower. It is located toward the top of the pistil and is usually pretty sticky.
• Style - The long stalk between the stigma and ovary.

Male characteristics

Stamen

The stamen is the flower's male organ. A bit less complex than the female organs, the stamen is only made up of two parts: the anthers and the filament.

• Anthers - The part of the flower that produces pollen. This is an essential organ in any flower, especially when it comes to reproduction.
• Filament - The stalk that the anthers are found on top of.

It should be noted that some flowers may only contain primarily female organs (pistillate) and others may only contain male organs (staminate), while still others may contain neither!

Below is a blank flower diagram. Do you think you could fill all its parts in? Give it a shot and see how you do.

Flower anatomy answers: