The ovary normally develops into a fruit containing seeds. Stigma - the tip of the pistil especially adapted to receive the pollen grains. The stigma may be expanded into a bulb or disk or divided into two or more slender parts. The stigma is often located atop a style. A pistil is said to be compound when several or many carpels become united.
Carpels are united so that a compound ovary often contains as many cavities as there are carpels.
Union of carpels may be so complete that it includes the styles and stigmas as well as the ovaries. Perfect flowers have both stamens and pistils, but not necessarily sepals or petals. Imperfect flowers lack either stamens or pistils, and may or may not have sepals or petals. Dioecious plants bear staminate flowers on one plant and pistillate flowers on a different plant, hence the terms male and female plants. All Rights Reserved.