Flower
hideA flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants (plants of the division Magnoliophyta, also called angiosperms). The biological function of a flower is to mediate the union of male sperm with female ovum in order to produce seeds. The process begins with pollination, is followed by fertilization, leading to the formation and dispersal of the seeds. For the higher plants, seeds are the next generation, and serve as the primary means by which individuals of a species are dispersed across the landscape. The grouping of flowers on a plant are called the inflorescence.
In addition to serving as the reproductive organs of flowering plants, flowers have long been admired and used by humans, mainly to beautify their environment but also as a source of food.
For more information about Flower, read the full article at
Wikipedia.
This text uses material from Wikipedia and is available under the GNU Free Documentation License.
News tagged with flowers
Frequent flower buyers seek product variety
Nov 05, 2009 |
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Florists and other retailers who sell flowers and plants can now add another tool to their marketing kit. A recent study of "consumption values" may help them understand what influences consumers' choices in regard to floral ...
Ancient 'monster' insect offers Halloween inspiration
Oct 26, 2009 |
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Just in time for Halloween, researchers have announced the discovery of a new, real-world "monster" - what they are calling a "unicorn" fly that lived about 100 million years ago and is being described as ...
Gulf fritillary is back
Sep 24, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- A showy butterfly with bright orange-red wings and a 4-inch wingspan is back in the Sacramento metropolitan area after a four-decade absence and in the Davis area after 30 years.
Study predicts effect of global warming on spring flowers
Space & Earth / Earth Sciences
Sep 17, 2009 |
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An international study involving Monash University mathematician Dr Malcolm Clark has been used to demonstrate the impact of global warming and to predict the effect further warming will have on plant life.
Flowering lantana draws butterflies -- but little water
Sep 11, 2009 |
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Big color, little water, lots of butterflies. How does that sound? That's the story of lantana in a nutshell. But I'm famous for verbosely pontificating on the attributes of plants whenever I have an audience, so let's dig ...
Newly discovered signaling pathway ensures that plants remember to flower
Aug 20, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- Why do some plants blossom even when days are short and gray? Scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology have found the answer to this question: An endogenous mechanism ...
Rare flowering of Chinese tree in Belgium
Aug 12, 2009 |
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An endangered Chinese tree has flowered in a Belgian arboretum, an event seldom seen anywhere in Europe, the garden's curator said Wednesday.
Study of flower color shows evolution in action
Jun 29, 2009 |
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Scientists at UC Santa Barbara have zeroed in on the genes responsible for changing flower color, an area of research that began with Gregor Mendel's studies of the garden pea in the 1850's.
Getting a grip: 'Velcro'-like structure helps bees stick to flowers (w/Videos)
May 14, 2009 |
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When bees collect nectar, how do they hold onto the flower? Cambridge University scientists have shown that it is down to small cone-shaped cells on the petals that act like 'velcro' on the bees' feet.
Sex life of plants reveals conflicts between the sexes
May 08, 2009 |
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The pollen grains of male plants live in great competition. A grain of pollen that succeeds in manipulating the flower’s pistil can emerge victorious from the struggle. This is shown by new research from Lund University in ...
Bumblebee flight 'triumph of power over finesse'
May 07, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- Brute force rather than aerodynamic efficiency is the key to bumblebee flight, Oxford University scientists have discovered.
The tulip entered Europe through al-Andalus five centuries before believed
Apr 16, 2009 |
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A new study carried out at the University of Cordoba and the School of Arabic Studies provides information on the arrival of the flower to Europe. Contrary to what was thought up until now, the first bulbs ...
US scientists plan greenhouses on the Moon
Space & Earth / Space Exploration
Apr 15, 2009 |
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Astronauts' meals have come a long way from the freeze-dried powders and semi-liquid pastes of decades ago: now US scientists want to grow vegetables in mini-greenhouses on the Moon.
A cure for honey bee colony collapse?
Apr 14, 2009 |
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For the first time, scientists have isolated the parasite Nosema ceranae (Microsporidia) from professional apiaries suffering from honey bee colony depopulation syndrome. They then went on to treat the infection with comple ...
Lilies Deadly to Cats, Veterinarians Warn
Apr 03, 2009 |
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Lilies, a floral reminder that winter has passed, frequently appear in homes during spring holidays as potted plants or cut flowers. But for cats, many lilies can be as lethal as they are lovely.
