Most plants reproduce asexually at least some of he time, while some plants reproduce asexually most of the time.. Asexual reproduction that occurs naturally in plants is called vegetative propagation. The word "Vegetative" comes from the Latin vegetates, meaning "to enliven."

The amaryllis is a plant that reproduces vegetatively by forming a bulb, and can reproduce sexually when it flowers and produces seeds. In a stable environment with abundant resources, asexual reproduction is faster than sexual reproduction and produces offspring that are well adapted to the existing environment. In a changing environment, sexual reproduction can produce plants with new combinations of characteristics that may be better able to survive in the new environment than the existing ones.

A bulb is a complete or nearly-complete miniature of a plant encased in fleshy modified leaves called scales. Which contain stores of reserve food - starch, sugar, and some proteins, In this exercise, you will plant a bulb and observe the growth of the new plant. After it produces its flowers, it will be pollinated to encourage the production of seeds. Finally, the seeds will be planted under conditions favorable to germination. The growth of the developing seedlings will be carefully monitored and carefully recorded.

Amaryllis bulb, pebbles, soil. Pot, metric ruler, water, toothpicks, graph paper

1. Place several pebbles in the bottom of your pot and place the bulb in it.. Cover the bulb up to its neck with potting soil, but leave enough room between the soil and the top of the pot for watering. Press firmly on the soil around the bulb to be sure it is steady.

2. 2. For the first two weeks, water sparingly until the bud and part of the stem have developed sufficiently. As soon as the stem begins to grow, you will be recording measurements (length of stalk and one of the leaves) and observations on a chart. You will sketch changes as they occur. Your chart should have the following headings: DATE LENGTH OF STEM (CM) LENGTH OF SEEDLINGS (CM) OBSERVATIONS, SKETCH.

3. Make a graph of your growth data. Choose either the stem of leaf data. Label the x-axis "Date" and the y-axis "Total Growth of (Stem/Leaf) in cm." Be sure to title your graph and note when the bud formed.

4. When flowering occurs (it should last about 2 week!), observe your flower and draw and label its parts in your chart.

5. Within three days of flowering, cross pollinate using a toothpick to collect pollen from the anthers of your plant and transfer it to the stigma of another plant. Record that date and the flowers that you used in your chart.

6. Look at some pollen grains under the microscope and sketch them. Include the magnification.

7. When the seeds form and mature, harvest and count them (approximately how many in one pod) and draw a representative seed in your chart. (note the date) Plant several seeds shallowly in the pot provided, cover them with about 0.5 cm. of soil.

8. As soon as the seedling appear, measure their growth in cm. at least every other day, and record the results. Be patient! They can take a while to germinate.

Extra Credit: What is the difference between a fruit and a vegetable? Prior to the NAFTA (North American Fair Trade Agreement) if tomatoes were fruit, the Mexican farmers could have shipped them into the United States duty-free; if they were a vegetable, a tariff was due. The Mexicans maintained their crop was fruit. Customs collectors north of the border viewed tomatoes as a vegetable. The argument wound its way up the US Supreme Court. …How would you have found? How did the nine justices rule?

Fruit or Vegetable?