stamen

Reproductive organs in flowering plants. The stamens are the male parts of the plant. Each consists of a stalklike filament topped by an anther. The anther contains four pollen sacs which burst to release tiny grains of pollen, the male sex cells. The carpels are the female reproductive parts. Each carpel has a stigma which catches the pollen grain. The style connects the stigma to the ovary. The ovary contains one or more ovules, the female sex cells.

The stamen is the male reproductive organ of a flower. It has a thin stalk called a filament with an anther at the tip. The anther contains pollen sacs, which split to release tiny grains of pollen.

Male reproductive organ of a flower. The stamens are collectively referred to as the androecium. A typical stamen consists of a stalk, or filament, with an anther, the pollen-bearing organ, at its apex, but in some primitive plants, such as Magnolia, the stamen may not be markedly differentiated.

The number and position of the stamens are significant in the classification of flowering plants. Generally the more advanced plant families have fewer stamens, but they are often positioned more effectively so that the likelihood of successful pollination is not reduced.