Practice question

Pollination encompasses transfer pollen containing immature male gametophyte from dehisced anther microsporangium to receptive surface: stigma papillate wet dry in angiosperms secreting exudate or naked ovular micropylar pollination droplet in gymnosperms catching wind. Vectors include wind anemophily common gymnosperms grasses, water hydrophily seagrasses, animal zoophily insects birds bats. Post-pollination pollen germinates forming tube carrying sperm nuclei toward egg synergid. Transfer to ovule directly statement accurate only gymnosperms where stigma absent, ovule to stigma reverse impossible, pollen tube to ovule represents subsequent progamic phase after pollination, not pollination itself. Distinguishing pollination from fertilization clarifies reproductive biology mechanisms important examinations.