The stamen is the male reproductive part of a flower, consisting of a long slender stalk called the filament and the pollen-producing anther. Once the pollen has been created in the anther, the stamen assists in transferring the pollen grains to the pistil, which is a process known as pollination. The stamens in a flower are collectively called the androecium. The number and arrangement of stamens, as well as the way in which the anthers release pollen, are important taxonomic characteristics for many flowering plants. The stamen typically consists of a filament and an anther, and it can be attached to the petals or to the floral axis, or it can be free-standing or fused to one another in many different ways.