The transfer of pollen from the male reproductive organs to the female in seed plants. This involves transfer from the anthers to the stigma in angiosperms and from the microsporangiophores to the micropyle in gymnosperms. The process is usually effected by intermediary agents such as insects (see entomophily ), wind (see anemophily ), or water (see hydrophily ). In flowering plants direct pollination may occur by gravity or contact where the stamens and stigmas are juxtaposed and mature simultaneously (see homogamy , cleistogamy ). |
