Final answer:
The female reproductive organ in a flower is the carpel, consisting of the stigma, style, and ovary. The stigma captures pollen and leads it through the style to the ovary, where fertilization occurs and seeds develop.
Step-by-step explanation:
The female reproductive organ in a flower is the carpel.
The carpel is the female reproductive organ of a flowering plant and a key component of the flower's structure. It is composed of three main parts: the stigma, style, and ovary. The stigma is the part of the carpel that receives pollen during fertilization. It is often sticky or feathery to effectively capture pollen grains. Below the stigma is the style, a long tube that leads down to the ovary, which contains one or more ovules.
After pollen grains land on the stigma, they generate a pollen tube that extends down the style to reach the ovary. There, fertilization occurs, leading to the development of seeds within the ovules. The entire assembly of the stigma, style, and ovary is known as the pistil, especially when the carpels are fused together. Other parts of the flower, like stamens and anthers, belong to the male reproductive system, referred to as the androecium, which produces pollen.