stamens

The stamen is the male reproductive organ of flowering plants. It typically consists of a filament supporting an anther, where pollen is produced. Stamens, together with the pistil, form the flower’s androecium.

Structure and development: The filament is a slender stalk; the anther is usually two-lobed and contains pollen sacs (microsporangia). Inside the anther, cells divide to form microspores that mature into pollen grains. Pollen is released when the anther dehisces along sutures or pores.

Variation and arrangement: Stamens are highly variable in number and arrangement. They may be free or fused; arrangements include monadelphous (filaments fused into a single group) and diadelphous (two groups of filaments), as well as didynamous patterns (four stamens with two long and two short). Some flowers have sterile stamens called staminodes, which may help attract pollinators or support other floral parts.

Function and significance: Stamens produce pollen, delivering male gametophytes for fertilization. Pollination can be biotic (insects, birds, mammals) or abiotic (wind). In many species, the morphology and display of stamens influence pollinator interactions and reproductive success.