Help the development of the site, sharing the article with friends!
Following the intention of this portal about ecology and nature in general, we are going to teach you more about the parts that make up plants, more specifically about that part that draws so much attention, both for people and animals: the flower petals. It seems that the flowers would be nothing without them since, thanks to the evolution to favor the reproduction of the different species, we now have plants with flowers full of petals of unique colors and shapes and, in addition, of great ornamental value.
In this educational text we answer questions such as what is the function of the petals of a flower and what are the petals of a flower. Would you like to expand your knowledge of botany and biology a little more? So, don't miss this Green Ecologist article about what are petals and their function.
What are flower petals and their characteristics
The petals They are that part of the flower that draws our attention so much and that is why many species are considered ornamental plants. The beauty of the flower petals, either by their striking colors or by their shapes, too attracts insects and other animals, which are known as pollinating animals and main architects of the sexual reproduction of plants.
The petal is called part of the flower that covers and forms the corolla; this structure may be different depending on the species. So, if we ask ourselves what the petals of a flower are like, it is difficult to give a single and simple answer, since depending on the plant they can be very different, in terms of shape, color, smell and quantity.
Due to its variety, we can also carry out a classification of flowers according to their petals:
- Match them: those that do not count petals. Also considered apétalas are those flowers that have very tiny petals and, therefore, do not fulfill their protective functions or mechanism for pollination.
- Dicotyledons: those flowers that have between 4 and five petals. Dicotyledonous flowers are also those that have multiple petals of 4 or 5, that is, of 8, 10 and even more petals.
- Monocots: They are the flowers that have 3 petals or multiples of this number.
Parts of flower petals
Even though it may seem that the petals are simple organs, we can clearly differentiate the parts that make it up. Of course, not all petals have to have all the organs that we list below, this depends rather on the species.
These are the parts of the petals that all types of petals share:
- It is called petal member to the enlarged part that protrudes as the end or tip of the petal. In fact, it is the most visible and most striking area, either because of its shape or color.
- Is named petal margin to the edge that runs to the petal and epidermis to the outer part of the petal.
- The petal lip It is a thick structure that protrudes from it, where pollinating agents can lean to extract nectar and facilitate pollination.
- The petal epidermis is the part that covers the upper and lower part of the petal
- The petal apex it is a sharp part besieged at the tip of the petal.
- The petal claw It is a narrow area that is formed from the base and that joins with the rest of the structure that makes up the flower.
What are the functions of the petals
The main function of flower petals is to attract those known as pollinating animals. Most of them are pollinating insects, such as bees, which carry pollen from flowers to activate flower reproduction. There are also other pollinating agents, such as the wind. Here you can learn much more about Pollination: what it is and its types.
To achieve this, the petals usually have very striking shapes, smells and colors to attract animals that, without being aware of them, end up dragging the pollen from one flower to another so that fertilization begins. In addition, the color of the petals is usually a symptom of something that invites the different species to feed, such as the extraction of nectar in the case of bees or birds such as the hummingbird.
Finally, the petals fulfill the function of protect the internal parts of the flower, that is, they protect the reproductive organs of the plant and they do it mainly during the night. There are extremely delicate flowers, especially indoors, that need that shelter so as not to be grazed by predators during their most vulnerable hours. For this reason, many species tend to close their petals when the sun disappears, thus protecting the rest of the flower, and they open again at dawn to restart the reproductive cycle.
Other parts of the flower
To finish, we consider it essential to tell you about the flower structure, where, obviously, there are many more parts than the petals.
- The initial part is called chalice. This structure, generally green in color, is made up of sepals and is in charge of supporting and protecting the flower's petals.
- Then we find the corolla, formed by the petals. As you already know, they are the most striking part of the flower and are usually very colorful to attract insects that will help the flowers reproduce through pollination.
- Following the order, from the outside in we will find the stamens, which is the male organ of the flower and where pollen is produced. It is composed, in turn, by the filament and the anther.
- Finally, right in the center of the flower we find the female organ o pistil. This is where the ovaries, style, and flower stigma meet.
To learn more details, we encourage you to read this other Green Ecologist article on What are the parts of a flower and its functions.
If you want to read more articles similar to What are petals and their function, we recommend that you enter our Biology category.
