Which term matches the definition: transfer of pollen from the male gametophyte to the female gametophyte?

• A. Pollination
• B. Stamen
• C. Petal
• D. Germination

Answer: (A)

Pollination is the transfer of pollen from the male gametophyte to the female gametophyte. In flowering plants, pollen grains carry the male gametophyte and are produced by the anthers of the stamen. When pollen lands on a receptive stigma of a pistil, the pollen grain can germinate and grow a pollen tube down to the ovule, allowing fertilization to occur. This transfer can happen via wind, water, or animal pollinators. The other terms don’t describe the transfer: the stamen is the structure that makes pollen, petals are mainly for attracting pollinators, and germination refers to the growth of a seed or pollen rather than the act of pollen transfer.