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CAIE IGCSE Biology 16.3 Sexual Reproduction in Plants

Practise plant reproduction questions by labelling flower parts, comparing pollination adaptations and sequencing pollen-tube fertilisation.

Syllabus
2026–2028
Course
Biology 0610

Exam points

  • label anthers, stigmas, ovaries, ovules and sepals and match each to its function
  • compare insect- and wind-pollinated flowers using pollen, petals, anthers and stigmas
  • sequence pollen transfer, pollen-tube growth through the style and nuclear fusion in the ovule

Covered syllabus points

16.3.1—Draw the following parts16.3.2—Functions of the structures listed16.3.3—Describe the anthers and stigmas16.3.4—Pollen grains of insect-pollinated16.3.5—Pollination as the transfer of pollen16.3.9—Self-pollination as the transfer16.3.10—Cross-pollination as the transfer16.3.11—Potential effects of self-pollination16.3.6—Fertilisation occurs when a pollen16.3.7—Structural adaptations16.3.8—Environmental conditions that affect16.3.12—Growth of the pollen tube and its

16.3 Sexual reproduction in plants question 1

[Maximum number: 7]

Question (a)

(a)

Fig. 6.1 is a half-flower drawing of pride of Barbados, Caesalpinia pulcherrima.

Fig. 6.1

Fig. 6.1

Complete Table 6.1 by stating the letter from Fig. 6.1 that indicates the organ where each function occurs and the name of the organ.

Table 6.1

Table 6.1

[ 4 ]

Question (b)

(b)

Fig. 6.2 is a scanning electron micrograph of some pollen grains from wind-pollinated flowers and insect-pollinated flowers.

Fig. 6.2

Fig. 6.2

[ 2 ]

Question (i)

(i)

Explain how the pollen grain labelled J is adapted for insect pollination.

[ 2 ]

Question (c)

(c)

Pollen grains grow tubes, which contain haploid male gamete nuclei.

[ 1 ]

Question (i)

(i)

One of these male gamete nuclei fuses with the female gamete.

State the part of the flower that contains the female gamete.

[ 1 ]

16.3 Sexual reproduction in plants question 2

[Maximum number: 5]

Question (a)

(a)

Fig. 4.1 shows a diagram of two flowers from different plants of the same species.

[ 5 ]

Question (i)

(i)

Complete the diagram in Fig. 4.1 to show self-pollination and cross-pollination by:
- drawing one arrow to show the pathway of pollen during self-pollination and labelling this arrow self-pollination
- drawing one arrow to show the pathway of pollen during cross-pollination and labelling this arrow cross-pollination
- labelling the names of the structures involved in pollination.

Fig. 4.1

Fig. 4.1

[ 3 ]

Question (ii)

(ii)

State the function of the parts labelled X and Y in Fig. 4.1.

X

Y

[ 2 ]
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