Fertilization in plants is the process by which the male and female gametes, or sex cells, combine to form a new individual with a unique combination of genetic traits. In most plants, fertilization occurs within the flower, where the male gametes, contained within pollen grains, must travel to the female gametes, located within the ovules.

The male gametes are produced in the anthers, located at the top of the flower's stamen. When the pollen is mature, it is released and carried by wind, water, or animals to the stigma, which is the sticky, receptive tip of the female part of the flower, called the pistil.

Once on the stigma, the pollen grain produces a tube that grows down through the style, which is the elongated part of the pistil, and reaches the ovary, which contains the ovules. The male gamete then moves down the tube and fuses with the female gamete, located inside the ovule, to form a zygote. The ovule then develops into a seed, and the ovary develops into a fruit.

Fertilization can occur in a few different ways, depending on the plant species. In some plants, the pollen can be transferred from the anthers to the stigma within the same flower, which is known as self-fertilization. In other plants, the pollen must be transferred from the anthers of one flower to the stigma of another, which is known as cross-fertilization.

Fertilization is an essential process in the life cycle of plants, as it ensures the continuation of the species and the production of new individuals with diverse genetic characteristics. It is also important for agriculture, as it allows for the production of crops with desirable traits through controlled breeding and hybridization.