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Sexual Reproduction In Flowering Plants

Question
CBSEENBI12001251

What are chasmogamous flowers ? Can cross pollination occur in cleistogamous flowers ? Give reasons for your answer.

Solution
(i) Chasmogamous flowers. These flowers are similar to flowers of other species with exposed anthers and stigma.

Example. Viola (common pansy), Oxalis and Commelina.

(ii) Cleistogamous flowers cannot cross pollinate because the flowers do not open at all. In such flowers anthers and stigma lie close to each other. When anther dehisces in the flower the pollen grain come in close contact with the stigma to affect self-pollination. Thus there is no chance of cross pollination and only self pollination occurs.