Biology · Sexual Reproduction in Flowering Plants · NEET
Yes. The stamen is the male reproductive unit of a flower and it represents a microsporophyll. It makes microspores (which become pollen grains), so it is the male part. Do not confuse it with the whole androecium — the androecium is the collective name for all the stamens of one flower together.
The filament is the long, thin stalk. Its lower end is attached to the thalamus or the petal of the flower, and it just holds up and positions the anther. The anther is the swollen top part that actually makes and stores pollen grains. So filament = support, anther = pollen factory. This split is a common NEET one-mark question.
Bilobed means the anther has two lobes when you look at it from the front. Dithecal means each anther has two theca (a theca is a pollen-sac chamber). In a typical anther, one lobe of the front view corresponds to two microsporangia. Together the two theca hold four microsporangia, which is why a normal anther is called tetrasporangiate.
A typical angiosperm anther has four microsporangia — two located in each of the two theca (corners of the anther). The microsporangia sit at the four corners of the anther and later develop into pollen sacs packed with pollen grains. Four is the number NEET expects for a typical anther.
The filament positions the anther in the right place so pollen can be released and picked up by wind, water or insects. It carries no pollen itself. Its base attaches to the thalamus (or petal in some flowers), and its free end holds the anther. Think of it as the stalk of a lollipop and the anther as the candy.
No. A single male unit is a stamen (filament + anther). Androecium is the name for all the stamens of a flower taken together, just like the gynoecium is all the carpels together. This wording trap appears often, so read the question carefully.
Try the real previous-year questions from this chapter — each with the answer and a full solution.
The filament (thin stalk) and the anther (knob at the top that makes pollen). The filament supports and positions the anther.
Bilobed means two lobes in front view. Dithecal means two theca (pollen-sac chambers). A typical anther is bilobed and dithecal, holding four microsporangia in total.
Four. The four microsporangia at the corners of the anther develop into four pollen sacs full of pollen grains.
The base of the filament attaches to the thalamus or, in some flowers, to a petal. Its free upper end carries the anther.
The stamen is the male reproductive part of a flower. All the stamens together form the androecium.
