Flowers and Seeds — Reading Comprehension Lesson

Reading Passage

Flowers and Seeds

Flowers are the reproductive structures of flowering plants. They are often colorful and fragrant to attract pollinators such as bees, butterflies, and birds. A flower’s job is to produce seeds, which carry the genetic information needed to create new plants. Understanding the parts of a flower and how seeds form helps explain one of the most important cycles in nature.

A typical flower has several key parts. The petals surround and protect the reproductive parts of the flower. The sepals are small leaf-like structures at the base of the flower that protect the bud before it opens. The stamens are the male parts of the flower — each stamen has a filament topped by an anther that produces pollen. The pistil is the female part of the flower and includes the stigma, style, and ovary, where seeds develop.

Pollination occurs when pollen is transferred from the anther of one flower to the stigma of another flower of the same species. This transfer is often carried out by insects, especially bees, which visit flowers in search of nectar. As a bee moves from flower to flower, pollen sticks to its body and is carried to the next bloom. Wind, water, and other animals also help spread pollen.

After pollination, fertilization occurs inside the ovary. The pollen travels down the style to the ovary, where it fertilizes the egg cells. Fertilized eggs develop into seeds. The ovary swells and ripens into a fruit, which surrounds and protects the seeds. Fruits can be fleshy, like apples or berries, or dry, like the pods of peas or beans.

Once seeds are formed, they must reach new locations to grow. Seed dispersal happens in many ways. Wind carries the light, feathery seeds of dandelions and maple trees. Animals eat fleshy fruits and deposit seeds in new places through their droppings. Some seeds have hooks that catch on animal fur or clothing. Water carries coconuts and other buoyant seeds across distances. Each method helps the plant spread and ensures that at least some seeds will land in a good spot to grow.

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