You're close! Plants don't need both pollen and spores, they use one or the other depending on their type. Here's a breakdown:

Pollen:

* Used by: Flowering plants (angiosperms) and cone-bearing plants (gymnosperms)

* Purpose: To carry male gametes (sperm) to the female reproductive parts of the same or a different plant, enabling fertilization.

* How it works: Pollen is dispersed by wind, water, insects, or other animals. It lands on the stigma of a flower (or the ovule of a cone) and grows a pollen tube to deliver sperm to the egg cell.

Spores:

* Used by: Ferns, mosses, liverworts, and other non-flowering plants

* Purpose: To reproduce asexually and disperse to new locations.

* How it works: Spores are single-celled and can survive harsh conditions. When they land in a suitable environment, they germinate and grow into a new plant.

In summary:

* Pollen is for sexual reproduction in flowering and cone-bearing plants.

* Spores are for asexual reproduction in non-flowering plants.

Think of it like this:

* Pollen is like a sperm cell that needs help traveling to the egg.

* Spores are like tiny seeds that can grow into a whole new plant.