What is formed as a result of fertilization in flowering plants?

Fertilization in flowering plants refers to the union of male and female gametes. When the pollen from the male part of the flower (anther) reaches the ovule in the female part (ovary), it leads to the fusion of the sperm nuclei from the pollen with the egg nucleus in the ovule. This union results in the formation of a zygote, which is a single cell containing a diploid set of chromosomes that combines genetic material from both parents.

The zygote eventually undergoes a series of developmental stages, transforming into an embryo within a seed, which plays a crucial role in the plant’s life cycle. In contrast, a fruit develops from the ovary of the flower after fertilization has occurred and the zygote has formed, while leaves and flowers are different structures entirely that arise from different processes during plant development.