Plant reproduction basics In flowering plants, which structure contains and transports the male gametes (sperm cells) to the female parts of the flower?

Introduction / Context:
Angiosperm reproduction involves transfer of male gametes to the female ovule for fertilization. Understanding which floral structures carry the male genetic material is essential for topics such as pollination biology, plant breeding, and hybrid seed production. The terms stamen, pollen, style, and ovule often get conflated, so precise definitions matter.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• We are considering typical flowering plants (angiosperms).
• Male gametes arise in the anther and are delivered to the ovule via the pollen tube.
• The question asks specifically for the structure that contains the male sex cells.

Concept / Approach:
The stamen is the male reproductive organ consisting of filament and anther. Inside the anther, microspores develop into pollen grains. A mature pollen grain carries the male gametophyte, which generates two sperm cells upon germination on the stigma. The pollen tube grows through the style to the ovary, transporting sperm to the embryo sac for double fertilization (to form zygote and endosperm). Thus, the immediate carrier of the male sex cells is the pollen grain.

Step-by-Step Solution:

Verification / Alternative check:
Microscopy of germinating pollen shows tube growth and delivery of two sperm to the embryo sac. Genetic markers traced from pollen confirm paternal contributions to the zygote and endosperm.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• Ova: refers to female gametes; in plants, the egg cell resides in the ovule within the ovary.
• Style: a female floral structure that the pollen tube traverses; does not contain sperm itself.
• Stamen: the organ that produces pollen but does not by itself carry the released male gametes after dehiscence.
• Sepal: protective leaf-like structure; unrelated to gamete carriage.

Common Pitfalls:
Answering “stamen” because it is the male organ; the question asks for the structure that contains the actual male sex cells delivered during pollination, which is the pollen grain.

Final Answer:
Pollen