Aug 25, 2025
Alstromeria Flower Dissection
- Jorge Cantú1
- 1Northeastern Illinois University
- ChiSTEM Library
Protocol Citation: Jorge Cantú 2025. Alstromeria Flower Dissection. protocols.io https://dx.doi.org/10.17504/protocols.io.x54v952jpl3e/v1
License: This is an open access protocol distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited
Protocol status: In development
We are still developing and optimizing this protocol
Created: August 23, 2025
Last Modified: August 25, 2025
Protocol Integer ID: 225294
Keywords: Flowers, dissection, plant anatomy, NGSS, MS-LS1-4, alstroemeria, middle school science, STEM education, teacher resources, alstromeria flower, petal, flower, pland stuructures for reproductive success, biology, stamen
Funders Acknowledgements:
NSF Noyce Track 3: Chicago STEM Teaching Collaborative (ChiSTEM)
Grant ID: 2243480
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Abstract
A flower dissection is a great way to engage in biology by exploring the different parts of a flower. In this lab, students will dissect an alstromeria flower and create a figure that labels the petals, sepals, stamen, and pistils. When performed with the attached worksheet, this lab fulfills the next generation science standard (NGSS): Animal Behaviours and Pland Stuructures for Reproductive Success (MS-LS1-4).
Materials
Flowers (alstroemeria)
White Paper or Paper Plates
Pencil
Camera/Smart Phone
Hand Lens/Magnifying Glass
Scissors
Tweezers
Handouts - Feel Free to Comment to make changes!
Troubleshooting
Safety warnings
Flowers will be hurt in the process of this lab, but it is for Science!
Before start
Purchase alstroemeria from your local grocery store. The flowers are $3-6 per stem with 3-6 flowers each.
Set Up
4m 30s
Precut flowers from stems, one stem per student
2m
Prepare workspace with paper/plates, pencil, magnifying glass
15s
Have extra flowers available for damaged specimens
15s
Print and pass out the handout
2m
Procedure Overview
20m
Students photograph intact flower and make initial observations
5m
Remove 6 petals individually
2m
Remove 3 green sepals
2m
Remove 6 stamens
2m
Identify stigma (3-lobed), style, ovary, pistil structure
2m
Arrange parts on paper and label each part
2m
Take picture of arranged flower parts with labels
5m
Protocol references
This protocol is based on the Lily Dissection with Emily YouTube video below. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujWnAJojk1A
Alstromeria Image By Noodle snacks, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=5817159