Ovary Seeds are an essential part of the reproductive process of plants. They are formed in flowers inside the female part of the flower called the OVARY. Enlargement of the ovary in Bauhinia species can occur very rapidly after fertilization and in Bauhinia purpurea the developing pod is visible soon after the flower has fallen. The number of seeds that can develop inside the pod depends on the number of OVULES present inside the ovary. In Bauhinia this is usually between 12 to 16.

Seed Pod In legume species the seeds are contained in a POD which is a long flattened capsule that contains a row of seeds. The pod is formed from the ovary wall and initially supplies the developing seeds with nourishment, later it protects the seeds from damage until they are mature. The young pod is soft and green but rapidly increases in length and then becomes hard and woody. When the conditions are right for the mature seeds to be released the pod will dry out unevenly until it splits open with a spiral twist and throws the seeds out.

Seeds The seeds inside the pod are dry, hard, flattened disks. They contain an EMBRYO which will grow into the new plant and an ENDOSPERM which provides energy for the seedling to grow. The seeds will start to GERMINATE after IMBIBING water and the new seedling will emerge from the seed.