In botany, a staminode is an often rudimentary, sterile or abortive stamen. Botany, plant science(s, phytology, or plant biology is a branch of Biology and is the scientific study of plant Life The stamen ( Plural stamina or stamens, from Latin stamen meaning "thread of the warp " is the male This means that it does not produce pollen. Pollen is a fine to coarse powder consisting of microgametophytes ( pollen grains) which produce the male Gametes (sperm cells of Staminodes are frequently inconspicuous and stamen-like, usually occurring at the inner whorl of the flower, but are also sometimes long enough to protrude from the corolla.

Grinnell's Penstemon (Penstemon grinellii)
showing a hairy yellow staminode

Sometimes, the staminodes are modified to produce nectar, as in the Witch Hazel (Hamamelis). Nectar is a Sugar -rich liquid produced by plants It is produced either by the Flowers in which it attracts pollinating animals or by extrafloral Witch-hazel ( Hamamelis) is a Genus of Flowering plants in the family Hamamelidaceae, with two species in North America

Staminodes can be a critical characteristic for differentiating between species, for instance in the orchid genus Paphiopedilum, and among the penstemons. Paphiopedilum is a Genus in the orchid family ( Orchidaceae) of approximately 77 species native to South China, India, Southeast Penstemon ( Beard-tongue) is a large Genus of North American and East Asian plants traditionally placed in the Scrophulariaceae

In the case of Cannas the petals are inconsequential and the staminodes are refined into eye-catching petal-like replacements. Canna (or Canna lily, although not a true Lily) is a Genus of approximately twenty Species of Flowering plants