Ovule facts for kids

Location of ovules inside a Helleborus foetidus flower

Cross section of an ovule of a pine tree. A=Gametophyte, B=Egg cell, C=Micropyle, D=Integument, E=Sporangium

Ovules are tiny structures found in seed plants. They are like small "plant eggs" because they hold the female reproductive cell. This special cell gets fertilized during sexual reproduction.

Inside each ovule is something called a megagametophyte. In flowering plants, this is also known as the embryo sac. The megagametophyte is responsible for making the actual egg cell.

How Ovules Help Plants Reproduce

Ovules play a very important role in how plants make new plants. They are essential for sexual reproduction in seed plants.

The Egg Cell

The main job of an ovule is to produce the female egg cell. This cell is ready to be fertilized.

Fertilization and Seeds

When a pollen grain reaches the ovule, the egg cell inside gets fertilized. After fertilization, the ovule develops into a seed. This seed can then grow into a new plant.

Images for kids

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  Ovule structure (anatropous) 1: nucellus 2: chalaza 3: funiculus 4: raphe

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  Models of different ovules, Botanical Museum Greifswald

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  Megagametophyte formation of the genera Polygonum and Lilium. Triploid nuclei are shown as ellipses with three white dots. The first three columns show the meiosis of the megaspore, followed by 1-2 mitoses.

See also

In Spanish: Óvulo (botánica) para niños