Knowra Catkin Catkin A slender, often drooping cluster of small flowers, usually wind-pollinated. Catkins are characteristic of several groups of trees and shrubs, including willows, birches, and oaks.
Inflorescence : A cluster of flowers arranged on a plant stem or branch. A catkin is a particular kind of flower cluster.
Pollen : Microscopic grains that carry the male reproductive cells of seed plants. Male catkins release pollen, often in large quantities.
Willow : A genus of trees and shrubs, Salix, commonly associated with flexible branches and narrow leaves. Willow catkins are conspicuous, often appearing before the leaves.
Raceme : An unbranched flower cluster with stalked flowers arranged along a central axis. Unlike a catkin's typically dense, reduced flowers, a raceme has distinct flower stalks.
Flower : The reproductive structure of flowering plants, containing organs that produce seeds. Each catkin consists of flowers arranged along a central axis.
Anther : The part of a stamen that produces and releases pollen. Anthers on male catkin flowers expose pollen to the air.
Birch : A genus of deciduous trees and shrubs, Betula, with distinctive bark and often toothed leaves. Birches produce hanging catkins that release pollen in spring.
Spike : An unbranched flower cluster whose flowers are attached directly to a central axis. A spike resembles a catkin in axis arrangement but is not defined by catkin-like flowers or usual wind pollination.
Stamen : The pollen-producing male reproductive organ of a flower, typically made of an anther and a filament. Many catkins carry exposed stamens that release pollen into the air.
Stigma : The receptive surface of a flower's female reproductive organ, where pollen lands. Female catkins often have exposed stigmas suited to intercept airborne pollen.
Show all 23