Question

Do flowering plants reproduce sexually or asexually?

Answer 1

Hint: Since the plants are living organisms they need to reproduce to pass on their genes to their offsprings or future generations. For this purpose, plants can create their offspring through the process of either sexual or asexual reproduction.

Correct answer:
Yes, the flowering plants reproduce by the process of both sexual and asexual reproduction. In the process of sexual reproduction, the offspring are produced by the fusion of male and female gametes. These offspring are genetically different from the parents genetically. In the process of asexual reproduction, the offsprings are produced without the fusion of male and female gametes. These offsprings are genetically similar to each other and also to the parent plants.

Additional Information:
Sexual reproduction in flowering plants requires genetic material or DNA from both parents. These genetic materials remain present in the male and female gametes respectively.
The fusion of the male and female gametes for the production of offspring is called fertilization.
Sexual reproduction in flowering plants is done through the process of pollination.
In flowering plants, the male sex organs are collectively called stamens whereas the female sex organs are collectively called pistils.
In sexual reproduction, the pollens from the anther reach the stigma of the pistil either by the process of self-pollination or by cross pollination.
After pollination, fertilization occurs resulting in the production of genetically non-identical offspring.
Asexual reproduction in flowering plants may occur through the process of binary fission, budding, fragmentation, spore formation, regeneration, and vegetative propagation.
For asexual reproduction part of the parent plant is used to generate a new plant by the process of grafting, layering, and micropropagation. These methods are also used for artificial asexual reproduction.
Many flowering plants like gladioli, and dahlia continue to grow from buds that are already present on the surface of their stem.

Note:
Sexual reproduction in flowering plants involves the process of pollination followed by fertilization.
Sexual reproduction in flowering plants involves both natural and artificial processes such as grafting, layering, cutting, vegetative propagation, etc.
Offsprings produced by sexual reproduction are genetically non-identical whereas by asexual reproduction the offsprings produced are genetically identical.