noun
anther
AN-ther/ˈænθər/
The part of a flower's stamen that produces pollen.
The lily's anther releases loose golden pollen from its open sacs.
Etymology
The “flowery” ancestor first gave English a name for a medicinal extract of flowers. The word was later applied to the pollen-producing part of a flower’s stamen.
In context
the anther is where the pollen is produced and the filament just holds that anther in in position
More examples
- Each anther sits at the tip of a supporting filament.
- Pollen falls from the flower's anthers.
- The diagram distinguishes the anther from the stigma.
Forms
anther · anthers
Similar words
- stamen
- Names the larger flower organ that includes the anther.
- pollen sac
- Specifically names a pollen-containing structure within the anther.