Once fertilization has taken place, the energies of the plant are directed to the successful development of the next generation. The fertilized egg cells are safely protected from the vagaries of climate, or damage by passing insects, by the surrounding mass of the ovary which lies at the base of the now fading flower.
Each part of the ovary has its own role to play in the growth and development of the new seed. Despite a few basic differences, the pattern followed by the growing embryo is characteristic of all plants. At fertilization the egg is made up of a single cell, but this soon begins its growth by dividing into two identical cells. Read the rest of this entry »
