Flower

Flower is defined as a highly condensed and modified reproductive

shoot.
Structure of a typical flower, bracteates/ebracteate, symmetry (actinomorphic,
zygomorphic), trimerous/tetramerous/pentamerous complete/ incomplete, non-essential
whorls (calyx: gamosepalous, polysepalous, corolla: gamopetalous, polysepalous, perianth,
aestivation: valvate, twisted, imbricate, vexillary), essential whorls (androecium: cohesion -
syngenesious, synandrous, monadelphous, diadelphous, polyadelphous; adhesion –
epipetalous, epiphyllous; number of lobes – monothecous, dithecous; Gynoecium: position of
ovary – epigynous, hypogynous, perigynous, cohesion – apocarpous, syncarpous, number of
locules – unilocular, bilocular, multilocular], types of inflorescence (racemose and cymose –
definition and differences; subtypes not required).
 Stamen
(Male Parts)
Essential
(Reproductive)
Parts
Carpels
(female Part)
Flower
Sepals
Non-essential (non-
reproductive) Parts
Petals
Flower Whorls Unit Collective Functions
name Name
First Whorl Sepals Calyx 1. The calyx encloses and protects
the inner whorls of the flower in
the bud stage.
2. Synthesize food by
photosynthesis
Second Whorl Petals Corolla 1. Attracts pollinators for pollination
2. encloses and protects the inner
whorls of the flower in the bud
stage.
Third Whorl Stamens Androecium Anther produces pollen grains which
contains the male reproductive cells
(gametes)
Fourth Whorl Pistils Gynoecium Produces female gamete (eggs) or
female reproductive cells
 Types of flowers

Bisexual or
Hermaphrodite
flowers
Staminate flower
Unisexual
Flowers
flowers
Pistillate flower

Neuter flowers
Bisexual or hermaphrodite flower: A flower which contains both stamens and carpels is
called a bisexual or hermaphrodite flower.

unisexual or incomplete (imperfect) flower: A flower which has only one of these parts,
that is, having only the stamens or only the carpels is called unisexual or incomplete
(imperfect) flower, e.g. papaya and palm.

Male or staminate flower: A unisexual flower which contains only the stamens is called
the male or staminate flower. e.g. papaya and palm

Female or the pistillate flower : A flower which contains only the carpels is called the
female or the pistillate flower. e.g. papaya and palm

Neuter flower: A flower in which both male and female reproductive organs are lacking.
Example: Ray florets of sunflower (pistillate but sterile).
 Perianth

The petals and sepals are undifferentiated, together to form perianth.

Gulmohar Spider Lily

Petaloid: When the perianth is non-green it is described as petaloid. Eg Gulmohar

Sepaloid: When the perianth is green like the sepals. Eg Spider lily
 Bracteates/Ebracteate

Bract
When a flower arises in the axil of a leaf-like structure, this structure is known as bract.

Bracts may be green like ordinary leaves or at times they are coloured. The large and
colourful bract of Bougainvillea is easily mistaken for petal. The actual flower in this case
is small, somewhat cylindrical and attached on the inner side of the bract.

bract
 bracteates/ ebracteate

Definition Examples
Bracteate The flower containing bracts are called Adhatoda, Maize
Bracteate.

Ebracteate The flower have no bracts Mango

 TYPES OF BRACTS

Types Definition Examples

Petaloid bracts Bracts look like petals (brightly Bougainvillea.

coloured).
Spathy bract. This is large bract enclosing an Banana, Maize. Palms
inflorescence
Foliaceous Bracts are leaf like in appearance Adhatoda, Gynandropsis
bracts
Involucre. They are green coloured and in one Sunflower, Coriander.
or more whorls around or below the
entire inflorescence
Glumes These are small, dry, scaly bracts Wheat.
found in spikelet of Gramineae
 Symmetry of Flower
Actinomorphic flower. (Radial symmetry) When a flower can
be divided into two equal halves by many vertical sections passing through
the centre. e.g., Mustard, Datura. chilli.

Zygomorphic flower. (Bilateral symmetry) When a flower can

be divided into two equal halves by only one vertical section passing
through the centre. e.g., Pea, gulmohur, bean, Cassia.

Asymmetric flower: (Irregular) : Flower cannot be divided into equal

halves. Eg Canna.
 Position of Floral Parts on Thalamus

•Hypogyny. In the hypogynous flower the gynoecium occupies the highest

position while the other parts are situated below it. The ovary in such flowers is
said to be superior, e.g., mustard, china rose and brinjal.

•Perigyny. If gynoecium is situated in the centre and other parts of the flower
are located on the rim of the thalamus almost at the same level, it is called
perigynous. The ovary here is said to be half inferior, e.g., plum, rose, peach.

•Epigyny. In epigynous flowers, the margin of thalamus grows upward

enclosing the ovary completely and getting fused with it, the other parts of
flower arise above the ovary. Hence, the ovary is said to be inferior as in
flowers of guava and cucumber, and the ray florets of sunflower.
 Aestivation

Arrangement of floral parts in a floral bud with respect to the other members of the
same whorl is know as aestivation.
Types Definition Examples
Valvate. When sepals or petals lie very close to each other, without Mustard, Calotropis.
overlapping
Twisted or When one margin of the sepal or petal overlaps the margin China rose, lady's
contorted of next and other margin is overlapped by the third one. finger, cotton.

Imbricate. Out of the five units, one is completely external, while one Cassia. Caesalpinia,
is completely internal and each of the remaining three, one gulmohur.
margin is internal and other is external
Quincuncial When two petals are inner, two are outer and one is partly Ranunculus.
outer and partly inner
Vexillary In pea and bean flowers, there are five petals, the largest Pea, Beans
(standard) overlaps the two lateral petals (wings) which in
turn overlap the two smallest anterior petals (keel); this
type of aestivation is known as vexillary
Elongation of Thalamus
A thalamus has nodes and internodes. In some flower elongation of internodes give rise to
following new conditions.
Anthophore Elongation of thalamus in between sepals and petals e.g., Silene.
Androphore It is between petals and stamens. e.g., Passiflora.
Gynophore It is between androecium and-gynoecium e.g., Claris.
Androgynophore Both androphore and gynophore condition are present. e.g., Gynandropsis..
Carpophore Elongation is present beyond carpel. e.g., Foeniculum.
 Calyx

Polysepalous: Sepals are free. Examples: Mustards and Radish.

Gamosepalous: (gamo = fused) Sepals are fused. Example Hibiscus.

Epicalyx: in Hibiscus (shoe-flower) there may be a second series of sepals called

episepals, collectively called epicalyx.
 Corolla

Polypetalous: Petals are free. Examples: Mustards.

Gamopetalous: (gamo = fused) Petals are fused. Example Petunia.

 Androecium
The two lobed anther is called bithecous anther e.g.,
Draw the labelled diagram of Stamen. Pea. The anther with one lobe is called monothecous
anther. e.g., members of Malvaceae. When stamens
are free from each other the condition is called
polyandrous. e.g., lily, mustard. A sterile stamen is
called staminode.
 Cohesion of stamen

When the units of the same whorls get fused together , it is called cohesion. Stemens also shows
cohesion.

Syngenesious
1. Polyandrous: stamens are free Petunia.

2. Epipetalous: The filaments are fused with petals Lathyrus sp

3. Syngenesious: The filaments are free but the anthers are united. Sunflower

4. Adelphous The filaments are fused but the anthers are free.

a. Monadelphous : Stamens are united in one group by their filaments. china rose (staminal
Only anthers are free. tube),cotton.

b. Diadelphous : The filaments are united in two bundles. pea (out of ten, nine stamens
form a staminal tube while one
is free).
c. Polyadelphous : The filaments are united in several groups. Bombe.

5. Synandrous In this condition , the stamens are completely united Cucurbita

throughout their length, by both filaments and the
anthers

Syngenesious
 Adhesion of Stamens
Fusion of stamens with other floral parts.
Epipetalous. When stamens are united to the petals. e.g., China rose, Solanum,
Sunflower.
Episepalous. When stamens are united to sepals. e g., Verbena.
Epiphyllous. When stamens are united to perianth (Tepal). e.g., members of Liliaceae.
Gynandrous. When stamens are attached to gynoecium (carpel) either throughout
their whole length or by their anthers only, e.g., Calotropis, (forming
gynostegium).
 Gynoecium
Draw labelled diagram of Gynoecium

Stigma

Style

Ovary
Ovule

Placenta
 Cohesion of Carpels
Apocarpous. Carpels are free (no cohesion), e.g., Ranunculaceae.
Syncarpous. Carpels more than two and fused, e.g., most of the plants.
 number of locules

Unilocular = Ovary has only one locule eg Pisum.

Bilocular = Ovaru has two locules eg. Solanum.

Multilocular = Ovary has many locules eg Ocimum.

 Placentation
It is the arrangement of ovules in the chambers of the ovary. It may be of the following types:
•Marginal Placentation: (A) Ovary is unilocular and the placenta develops along the ventral suture as in Pea.
•Axile Placentation(B) Ovary is many-chambered and syncarpous. The placenta develops from the central axis as in
China Rose.

•Central Placentation: (C ) Ovary is multicarpellary, syncarpous but one-chambered and placenta develops from
the central axis as in Dianthus.
•Parietal Placentation: (D) Ovary is multicarpellary, syncarpous but one-chambered and the placenta arises from
the inner wall of the ovary as in Poppy.
•Basal Placentation: (E) Ovary is monocarpellary with one locule and the placenta develops at the base of the
ovary as in Sunflower.
•Superficial Placentation: (F) Ovary is polycarpellary, syncarpous and with many locules the placenta develops all
around the inner surface of the partition walls as in Water Lily.
 Inflorescence
Inflorescence is the mode of arrangement of flowers on the axis of the plant

Type of Inflorescence
1. Racemose
2. Cymose

Characters of Recemose:
1. Growing point seldom ends in a flower.
2. The flower arises laterally.
3. Flower arrangement acropetal.
4. The number of flowers formed is indefinite.
5. The flowers open at short intervals and the total flowering period is
comparatively short.
Characteristics of Inflorescence

1. The growing point always terminates in a flower.

2. The flower are actual terminal.
3. The number of flowers formed is definite.
4. The flower arrangement is Basipetal.
5. The flower open at long interval and total flowering period is much
longer.
 1 Fabaceae
Flower: bisexual, zygomorphic

Calyx: sepals five, gamosepalous; valvate aestivation

Corolla: petals five, polypetalous, papilionaceous, consisting of a posterior

standard, two lateral wings, two anterior ones forming a keel (enclosing stamens
and pistil), vexillary aestivation

Androecium: ten, diadelphous, anther dithecous

Gynoecium: ovary superior, mono carpellary, unilocular with many ovules,

style single
 2 Solanaceae
Flower: bisexual, actinomorphic

Calyx: sepals five, united, persistent, valvate aestivation

Corolla: petals five, united; valvate aestivation

Androecium: stamens five, epipetalous

Gynoecium: bicarpellary, syncarpous; ovary superior, bilocular, placenta swollen with

many ovules
 3. Lilaceae

Flower: bisexual; actinomorphic

Perianth: tepal six (3+3), often united into tube; valvate aestivation

Androcium: stamen six, (3+3)

Gynoecium: tricarpellary, syncarpous, ovary superior, trilocular with many ovules;

axile placentation

Br