pistil

/ˈpɪstl/

/ˈpɪstəl/

Other forms: pistils

The part of a flower that eventually develops into seeds or fruit is called a pistil. The pistils are at the very center of the blossom, surrounded by petals.

A pistil is made up of a flower's female organs — the ovary, the long, stem-like style, and the sticky stigma, which receives pollen. These flower parts play a vital role in reproduction, sticking out so that bees and other pollinating insects can easily brush against them. The transfer of pollen fertilizes the seeds in the ovaries. Pistil gets its name from its stick-like resemblance to a pestle.

Definitions of pistil

1. noun

   the female ovule-bearing part of a flower composed of ovary and style and stigma
   types:

   simple pistil

   consists of one carpel

   compound pistil

   consists of two or more fused carpels

   pistillode

   a sterile vestigial pistil remaining in a staminate flower

   carpel

   a simple pistil or one element of a compound pistil

   mericarp

   a carpel with one seed; one of a pair split apart at maturity

   type of:

   reproductive structure

   the parts of a plant involved in its reproduction