What is a male reproductive cell in a plant called?

The male reproductive cell in a plant is called pollen. Pollen grains are produced in the anthers of flowers and contain the male gametes, which are necessary for the fertilization process in plants. When pollen is transferred to the stigma of a compatible flower, it can germinate and grow a pollen tube down to the ovule, allowing for the sperm cells to fertilize the egg cell, leading to seed development.

In contrast, a seed is the result of fertilization, consisting of an embryo and the surrounding tissues that nourish it as it develops into a new plant. Spores are involved in the asexual reproduction of some plants, fungi, and algae and are not considered male cells. An egg cell is the female reproductive cell in plants, made within the ovule and plays a different role in the reproductive process than pollen. Thus, pollen is the correct term for the male reproductive cell in plants.