Pollen

Pollen is a mass of microspores (male fertilizing elements) of a seed plant. Pollen is produced in the anthers of plant flowers. It contains the male reproductive cells of the plant - sperm, which fertilize the female reproductive cells when they land on the stigma of the pistil.

Pollen grains are very small, their size ranges from 10 to 100 microns. The shape of pollen can be very diverse - spherical, elliptical, pear-shaped, etc. The surface of pollen can be smooth or sculptured (with grooves, spines, mesh). The composition of pollen also varies among different plant species. The main components are sporopollenin, cellulose, proteins, lipids, calcium and other elements.

Pollen plays an important role in plant reproduction and fertilization. Its transfer is carried out in various ways - by wind, insects, birds. The study of pollen (palynology) allows us to determine the species composition of plants in a given area and changes in the flora over time.