The androecium in a flowering plant is a collection of

1. Analyze the question The question asks what the androecium is made up of. "Androecium" is the term for a whole part of the flower, so we need the option that names the collection of structures forming that part.

2. Explain the concept The word comes from Greek: andro = male, oikia = house. So the androecium is the "male house" of the flower, meaning the male reproductive part.

A flower has four main whorls, from outside to inside:

• Calyx: collection of sepals
• Corolla: collection of petals
• Androecium: collection of stamens (male part)
• Gynoecium (or pistil): collection of carpels (female part)

Each stamen has two parts:

• Anther: produces pollen grains
• Filament: the stalk that holds up the anther

3. Solution, option by option

• A. Stamens: Correct. The androecium is the collection of all stamens in one flower.
• B. Sperms: Wrong. Sperm cells are gametes, not a floral structure. Pollen grains carry the male gametes.
• C. Ovules: Wrong. Ovules are in the ovary, which belongs to the female part (gynoecium).
• D. Filament: Wrong. A filament is only one part of a single stamen, not a collection of structures.

4. Answer The androecium is a collection of stamens, which is option A.

5. Exam tip Remember the pairing: Androecium = Anthers/stamens (male), Gynoecium = Girl/carpels (female). Also, questions that start with "a collection of..." are usually asking for a whorl, so think of calyx → sepals, corolla → petals, androecium → stamens, gynoecium → carpels.