Flowers make seeds, but first they need pollen from another flower of the same kind. Bees, butterflies and the wind carry pollen from flower to flower. This is called pollination. Bright petals and sweet nectar attract insects.
Seeds must move away from the parent plant so the new plants have space and light. This is called dispersal. Dandelion seeds float on the wind. Burdock seeds have hooks that stick to animal fur. Birds eat berries and drop the seeds far away. A seed grows into a new plant when it has water and warmth; this is called germination.
Worked example
A seed has a fluffy 'parachute'. How is it most likely dispersed?
- Light, fluffy parts catch the air.
- So the wind can carry it far away.
Answer:It is dispersed by the wind.
Key words
- pollen
- yellow dust made by flowers
- pollination
- moving pollen from one flower to another
- dispersal
- seeds being spread away from the parent plant
- germination
- when a seed starts to grow
Practise this
New questions every time.
NGSS-referenced: 2-LS2-2