B3.

13 Plant Reproduction
Learning outcomes (Students will be assessed on their ability to):

3.1 understand the differences between sexual and asexual reproduction

3.2 understand fertilisation
3.3 describe the structures of an insect-pollinated and a wind-pollinated flower and
explain how each is adapted for pollination
3.4 understand that the growth of the pollen tube followed by fertilisation leads to
seed and fruit formation
3.5 Practical: understand the conditions needed for seed germination
3.6 understand how germinating seeds utilise food reserves until the seedling can carry
out photosynthesis
3.7 understand that plants can reproduce asexually by natural methods (illustrated by
runners) and by artificial methods (illustrated by cuttings)

N.B. The workbook is structured in two parts. The first outlines activities that will help
you develop notes that can be used later for revision. The second is a set of summary
questions designed to help you test your understanding.

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3.1 understand the differences between sexual and asexual reproduction

Asexual Sexual
Reproduction Reproduction
Number of parents
involved
Genetically
identical or
different to parent
Type of cell division
Gametes produced
Fertilisation takes
place
Genetic variation in
offspring

3.2 understand fertilisation

What is fertilisation?

__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________

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3.3 describe the structures of an insect-pollinated and a wind-pollinated flower and
explain how each is adapted for pollination

Label the diagram below:

Complete the word fill exercise below and table on the next sheet:

The male part of the flower is called the _______________consists of the ____________ and

____________. The female part of the flower is called the _____________ consists of the

______________, ______________ and _______________. The male gamete is made in the

______________ and is found inside the _____________ grain. The female gamete is found in

the _____________ and is called an ______________.

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Flower Part Function

Petals

Anther

Filament

Stigma

Style

Ovary

Ovules

Nectary

Sepals

Stamen

Carpel

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Pollination:

What is pollination?

__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________

There are two mechanisms for pollination: wind and insect. Flowers are adapted to suit the
mechanism by which they are pollinated.

Identify which flower illustrated below is wind-pollinated and which is insect-pollinated:

________________ ________________

Name three flowers that are insect-pollinated:

_____________________________________________________________________

Give an example of a type of plant that is wind-pollinated:

_____________________________________________________________________

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Complete the table below by describing how each part of the flower is adapted for wind or
insect-pollination:

Flower part Insect-pollinated Wind-pollinated

Petals

Nectary

Scent

Stigma

Stamen

Explain the difference between self-pollination and cross-pollination:

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Why is it preferable for a plant to encourage cross-pollination rather than self-pollination?

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

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Explain the methods used by plants to encourage cross-pollination (you can refer to the
diagrams in the previous page and below in your answer).

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

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3.4 understand that the growth of the pollen tube followed by fertilisation leads to
seed and fruit formation

What stimulates the pollen tube to grow?

____________________________________________________________________________

Why do pollen grains only produce tubes in flowers of their own species?

____________________________________________________________________________

Explain how the pollen tube grows down through the style.

____________________________________________________________________________

How does the male gamete in flowers differ to the animal male gamete?

____________________________________________________________________________

When does fertilisation occur?

____________________________________________________________________________

What type of division occurs to produce an embryo plant from the diploid zygote formed after
fertilisation?

____________________________________________________________________________

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Seed dispersal

What part of the flower develops into a seed?

____________________________________________________________________________

How does the seed become dormant?

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

Why do seeds need to be dispersed away from the parent plant?

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

What are the four mechanisms for seed dispersal?

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

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For each of the seeds shown state its mechanism for seed dispersal and describe the
adaptations that are suited to the mechanism.

Name of plant Diagram of seed Seed dispersal Adaptations

mechanism
Lupin mechanical Dries unevenly and splits open
with force shooting the seeds
outwards

Blackberry

Burdock

Sycamore

Coconut

Key words: animal, water, wind, hooks, wings, hollow, light, fruit, bright colour,
waterproof case

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3.6 understand how germinating seeds utilise food reserves until the seedling can carry
out photosynthesis

Label the diagram:

Functions:

a) Cotyledons:________________________________________________________________

b) Plumule:___________________________________________________________________

c) Radicle:___________________________________________________________________

d) Testa:_____________________________________________________________________

e) Micropyle:__________________________________________________________________

Why is it important for water to enter the seed?

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

What is meant by the term dry mass?

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

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Explain why the dry mass changes at points X and Y in the graph below:

Dry mass/g X Y

Days
____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

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3.5 understand the conditions needed for seed germination

Summarise the experiment results below to explain what conditions are required for seed
germination:

Pyrogallol (absorbs oxygen)

No light

Oxygen Oxygen Oxygen Oxygen

present present present present

No
oxygen

moist dry moist moist moist

4oC Warm Warm Warm Warm

A B C D E
____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

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3.7 understand that plants can reproduce asexually by natural methods (illustrated by
runners) and by artificial methods (illustrated by cuttings)

A. Runners

How it works:
____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

Examples of plants:

____________________________________________________________________________

B. Bulbs

How it works:
____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

Examples of plants:

____________________________________________________________________________

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 C. Cuttings

How it works:
____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

Whenever you “clip” off a piece of a__________________ and put it to grow in new soil you are
making a _________________ of the plant. The new plant is _______________ to the plant
that you took the clipping from. This is because plants grow by _______________ reproduction.
Uses:

____________________________________________________________________________

D. Tissue Culture

How it works:
____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

Uses:

____________________________________________________________________________

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Summary questions:

Q1. The diagram shows part of a lily. A lily is an insect-pollinated flower.

(a) Name the structures labelled A and B.

(2)
A .....................................................................................................................................................

B .....................................................................................................................................................

(b) Describe what is meant by the term insect-pollination.

(2)
      ..............................................................................................................................................

      ..............................................................................................................................................

      ..............................................................................................................................................

      ..............................................................................................................................................

(c) Give two ways in which the structure of a wind-pollinated flower would differ
from the lily flower shown in the diagram.
(2)
      ..............................................................................................................................................

      ..............................................................................................................................................

      ..............................................................................................................................................

      ..............................................................................................................................................

(d) Describe the events that follow pollination and how they lead to seed formation.
(6)
      ..............................................................................................................................................

      ..............................................................................................................................................

      ..............................................................................................................................................

      ..............................................................................................................................................

      ..............................................................................................................................................

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      ..............................................................................................................................................

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(Total for question = 12 marks)

Q2. Flowers are reproductive organs. They help flowering plants with sexual reproduction.
(a)  Suggest how sexual reproduction makes it more likely that a species can adapt to a
changing environment.
(2)
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................

(b)  Some flowering plants transfer their male gametes (pollen) by using insects and others use
wind. The diagram shows a plant that is wind-pollinated.

(i)  Give two ways you can tell from the diagram that this plant is wind-pollinated.
(2)

1 ..........................................................................................................................................

2 ..........................................................................................................................................

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 (ii)  Suggest why insects rarely visit wind-pollinated flowers.
(2)
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................

(c)  Some people have an allergy to pollen produced by flowering plants. This is known as hay
fever.

(i)  Suggest why hay fever tends to be caused by wind-pollinated plants rather than insect
pollinated plants.
(1)
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................

(ii)  Suggest why people only show symptoms of hay fever at certain times of the year.
(1)
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................

(iii) Allergies are caused by the body cells reacting to the proteins on the surface of the
pollen grains.
Explain how the body usually responds to foreign proteins.
(3)
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
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(Total for question = 11 marks)

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Q3.

The diagram shows the apparatus used in a seed germination experiment.

(a) The two samples of seeds started at the same temperature of 18°C.

The diagram shows the temperature reading on each thermometer after 48 hours.
(i) Complete the table to show the temperature of flask A and flask B.
(1)

(ii) Give a biological explanation for the difference in the temperature of flask A
compared to flask B.
(2)
      ..............................................................................................................................................

      ..............................................................................................................................................

      ..............................................................................................................................................

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      ..............................................................................................................................................

(b) The seeds in both flasks were washed in disinfectant before being put into the flasks.

Suggest why this was done.

(1)
      ..............................................................................................................................................

      ..............................................................................................................................................

(c) The cotton wool kept the thermometers in place and prevented the seeds from
falling out of the flasks.

Suggest why cotton wool was used rather than a rubber bung.
(1)
      ..............................................................................................................................................

      ..............................................................................................................................................

(d) The seeds used in the experiment were from the same species.

Suggest one other variable that needs to be controlled in this experiment.

(1)
      ..............................................................................................................................................

(Total for question = 6 marks)

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Q4 The drawings show seeds or fruits of different plants.

E
A

B C

(a) From the appearance of the structures, make a guess at how each one is dispersed giving
reasons for your answers.
(8

How Dispersed? Reason

A
B
C
D
E
F

(b) What are the advantages to a plant of an effective method of seed dispersal? (3)
.............................................................................................................................................
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.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
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.............................................................................................................................................

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 Mark Scheme

Q1.
 

Q2.

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Q3.

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Q4
(a)

How Dispersed? Reason

A Wind Hairs act as parachutes
B Wind Has a bract which functions as a wing, slowing down
the fruit's rate of fall
C Wind Seeds are shaken out of the fruit capsule when the
wind sways the long stalk
D WInd Hairs act as parachutes
E Animal The fruits have hooks which catch in the animal's fur
F Animal The fruits have hooks which catch in the animal's fur

(b)
 Increase survival
 Increased reproductive potential
 Seed dispersal
 Reduced Competition

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