Stamen

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(Redirected from Androecium)
For the Bulgarian physician, see Stamen Grigorov. For the data visualization and
cartography studio, see Stamen Design.
Androecium redirects here; for the structure in cryptogams, see Antheridium.
Stamens of a Hippeastrum with white filaments and prominent anthers carrying pol
len
The stamen (plural stamina or stamens) is the pollen-producing reproductive orga
n of a flower. Collectively the stamens form the androecium.[1]
Contents [hide]
1 Morphology and terminology
2 Etymology
3 Variation in morphology
4 Pollen production
5 Sexual reproduction in plants
6 Descriptive terms
7 Gallery
8 References
9 Bibliography
10 External links
Morphology and terminology[edit]
A stamen typically consists of a stalk called the filament and an anther which c
ontains microsporangia. Most commonly anthers are two-lobed and are attached to
the filament either at the base or in the middle area of the anther. The sterile
tissue between the lobes is called the connective. A pollen grain develops from
a microspore in the microsporangium and contains the male gametophyte.
The stamens in a flower are collectively called the androecium. The androecium c
an consist of as few a one-half stamen (i.e. a single locule) as in Canna specie
s or as many as 3,482 stamens which have been counted in Carnegiea gigantea.[2]
The androecium in various species of plants forms a great variety of patterns, s
ome of them highly complex.[3][4][5][6] It surrounds the gynoecium and is surrou
nded by the perianth. A few members of the family Triuridaceae, particularly Lac
andonia schismatica, are exceptional in that their gynoecia surround their andro
ecia.

Hippeastrum flowers showing stamens above the style (with its terminal stigma)
Etymology[edit]
Stamen is the Latin word meaning "thread" (originally thread of the warp, in wea
ving).[7]
Filament derives from classical Latin filum, meaning "thread"[7]
Anther derives from French anthre,[8] from classical Latin anthera, meaning "medi
cine extracted from the flower"[9][10] in turn from Ancient Greek ,[8][10] femi i e o
, "flowe
y",[11] f
om ,[8] "flwer"[11]
Andrecium derives frm Ancient Greek mea i g "ma ",[11] a d meaning "huse" r
r/rm".[11]
ariatin in mrphlgy[edit]
Stamens, with distal anther attached t the filament stalk, in cntext f flral
anatmy
Depending n the species f plant, sme r all f the stamens in a flwer may be
attached t the petals r t the flral axis. They als may be free-standing r
fused t ne anther in many different ways, including fusin f sme but nt a
ll stamens. The filaments may be fused and the anthers free, r the filaments fr
ee and the anthers fused. Rather than there being tw lcules, ne lcule f a s
tamen may fail t develp, r alternatively the tw lcules may merge late in de
velpment t give a single lcule.[12] Extreme cases f stamen fusin ccur in s
me species f Cyclanthera in the family Cucurbitaceae and in sectin Cyclanther
a f genus Phyllanthus (family Euphrbiaceae) where the stamens frm a ring aru
nd the gynecium, with a single lcule.[13]

Crss sectin f a Lilium stamen, with fur lcules surrunded by the tapetum
Pllen prductin[edit]
A typical anther cntains fur micrsprangia. The micrsprangia frm sacs r p
ckets (lcules) in the anther (anther sacs r pllen sacs). The tw separate l
cules n each side f an anther may fuse int a single lcule. Each micrsprang
ium is lined with a nutritive tissue layer called the tapetum and initially cnt
ains diplid pllen mther cells. These underg meisis t frm haplid spres.
The spres may remain attached t each ther in a tetrad r separate after meis
is. Each micrspre then divides mittically t frm an immature micrgametphyt
e called a pllen grain.
The pllen is eventually released when the anther frms penings (dehisces). The
se may cnsist f lngitudinal slits, pres, as in the heath family (Ericaceae),
r by valves, as in the barberry family (Berberidaceae). In sme plants, ntabl
y members f Orchidaceae and Asclepiadideae, the pllen remains in masses calle
d pllinia, which are adapted t attach t particular pllinating agents such as
birds r insects. Mre cmmnly, mature pllen grains separate and are dispense
d by wind r water, pllinating insects, birds r ther pllinatin vectrs.
Pllen f angisperms must be transprted t the stigma, the receptive surface 
f the carpel, f a cmpatible flwer, fr successful pllinatin t ccur. After
arriving, the pllen grain (an immature micrgametphyte) typically cmpletes i
ts develpment. It may grw a pllen tube and underging mitsis t prduce tw
sperm nuclei.
Sexual reprductin in plants[edit]
Main article: Sexual reprductin in plants
Stamen with pllinia and its anther cap. Phalaenpsis rchid.
In the typical flwer (that is, in the majrity f flwering plant species) each
flwer has bth carpels and stamens. In sme species, hwever, the flwers are
unisexual with nly carpels r stamens. (mnecius = bth types f flwers fun
d n the same plant; diecius = the tw types f flwer fund nly n different
plants). A flwer with nly stamens is called andrecius. A flwer with nly c
arpels is called gynecius.
A flwer having nly functinal stamens and lacking functinal carpels is called
a staminate flwer, r (inaccurately) male.[14] A plant with nly functinal ca
rpels is called pistillate, r (inaccurately) female.[14]
An abrtive r rudimentary stamen is called a stamindium r staminde, such as
in Scrphularia ndsa.
The carpels and stamens f rchids are fused int a clumn. The tp part f the
clumn is frmed by the anther, which is cvered by an anther cap.
Descriptive terms[edit]
Scanning electrn micrscpe image f Pentas lancelata anthers, with pllen gra
ins n surface
Lily stamens with prminent red anthers and white filaments
A clumn frmed frm the fusin f multiple filaments is knwn as an andrphre.
The anther can be attached t the filament's cnnective in tw ways:[15]
basifixed: attached at its base t the filament
pseudbasifixed: a smewhat misnmer cnfiguratin where cnnective tissue exten
ds in a tube arund the filament
drsifixed: attached at its center t the filament, usually versatile (able t m
ve)
Stamens can be cnnate (fused r jined in the same whrl):
extrrse: anther dehiscence directed away frm the centre f the flwer. Cf. int
rrse, directed inwards, and latrrse twards the side.[16]
mnadelphus: fused int a single, cmpund structure
declinate: curving dwnwards, then up at the tip (als - declinate-descending)
diadelphus: jined partially int tw andrecial structures
pentadelphus: jined partially int five andrecial structures
synandrus: nly the anthers are cnnate (such as in the Asteraceae). The fused
stamens are referred t as a synandrium.
Stamens can als be adnate (fused r jined frm mre than ne whrl):
epipetalus: adnate t the crlla
epiphyllus: adnate t undifferentiated tepals (as in many Liliaceae)
They can have different lengths frm each ther:
didymus: tw equal pairs
didynamus: ccurring in tw pairs, a lng pair and a shrter pair
tetradynamus: ccurring as a set f six stamens with fur lng and tw shrter
nes
r respective t the rest f the flwer (perianth):
exserted: extending beynd the crlla
included: nt extending beynd the crlla
They may be arranged in ne f tw different patterns:
spiral; r
whrled: ne r mre discrete whrls (series)
They may be arranged, with respect t the petals:
diplstemnus: in tw whrls, the uter alternating with the petals, while the
inner is ppsite the petals.
bdiplstemnus: in tw whrls, the uter ppsite the petals
Gallery[edit]