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The gynoecium is the collective term for the female reproductive parts of a flower, collectively known as the pistil. Typically, a pistil consists of an enlarged base called the ovary, which contains ovules (potential seeds), a stalk called the style, and a pollen-receptive tip called the stigma. When pollen lands on the stigma, it germinates and forms a pollen tube that grows down the style to fertilize the ovules within the ovary. The ovary itself will develop into a fruit, enclosing the seeds. The gynoecium is surrounded by the androecium, which comprises the male reproductive organs, the stamens.1234

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