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Flower of the spider tree (Crateva religiosa) with its numerous conspicuous stamens
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Scanning electron microscope image of Penta lanceolata anthers, with pollen grains on surface
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Flowers of wheat at anthesis showing stamens
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The stamen is the male organ of a flower. Typical flowers have six stamens inside a perianth (the
petals and sepals together),
but in some species there are many more than six present in a flower. Each stamen consists of a thin stalk called a
filament supporting an anther that contains the microsporangia. Haploid
pollen—the male gamete cells of a
flowering plant—are produced by the
microsporangia.
In the typical flower (that is, the majority of flowering plant species) each flower has both a pistil and stamens. However,
in some species the flowers are unisexual with only either male or female parts. A flower having only functional stamens is
called a staminate flower.
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