Inflorescence

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 FLOWER
 Organs of sexual reproduction
 Modified shoots
 Single OR in clusters
 Axillary OR terminal in position
 Cluster of flowers in the axis- Inflorescence
 Stalk of inflorescence – Peduncle
 Individual flower stalk – Pedicel
 Flower arise from underground stem- Scape
(Allium, Lotus)
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 Petal

Stamen
Modified shoot with Carpel
4 rings of modified leaves
Parts of flower:
[Link] (Calyx) Thalamus
[Link] (Corolla)
[Link] (Androecium)
[Link] (Gynoecium) Abhay Kashyap
• Pedicel is stalk by which single flower is attached
• to inflorescence.
• Peduncle structure which connects inflorescence
• to the stem and modified stem itself.
• Bracts – Greenish leaf like on peduncle from its
• axils, arise single flower OR floral
• Bracteoles-- Smaller, Greenish Bracteoles seen at the
base of pedicels
• Bracts – Empty/ Sterile – No Flower in Axil (Ananas)
• Bracts Non-green (Bougainvillaea)
• Large Leafy Bracts – Adathoda
• Bracts – Grasses – Glumes
• Whorled Bracts – Involucre (Helianthes)
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Bracteoles In Whorl – Epicalyx (Hibiscus) Large Spathe Bracts – Cocos nucifera

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 Inflorescence
The arrangement of flowers on the floral axis is termed as inflorescence.

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Abhay Kashyap
 Racemose Inflorescence
 Indefinite growth
 The main axis grows indefinitely
 Flowers are borne laterally.
 Flowers are arranged in an acropetal order,
where the oldest flowers are at the base, and
younger flowers are near the apex.

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 Subtypes of Racemose Inflorescence

1. RACEME: Flowers are borne on pedicels of

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2. SPIKE: Flowers are sessile (without pedicels)
and arranged along the main axis
e.g., Wheat (Spike of Spikelets),
Achyranthes, Celosia)
•Raceme type but with sessile flowers
•main axis branched – Compound spike (Aerva)
•Grass- small spikes - Spikelet

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3. CORYMB – (Caesalpinia)
• Pedicels of flowers at the base are longer, forming a flat-topped
cluster (e.g., cauliflower).
•Short peduncle
•Pedicellate flowers
•Pedicels of diffferent lengths
•All flowers at same level

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4. SPADIX: Flowers are enclosed by a large bract
called the spathe (e.g., monocots- Banana,
Colocasia, Amorphophallus)
•Thick, fleshy, coloured peduncle
•Flowers small, unisexual, sessile
•Sink to depressions in peduncle
•Inflorescence covered by large bract
•Spathe – Bract
•Female basal & male
terminal
•Branched spike with
leathery bracts –
Compound Spike (Cocos,
Areca)
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[Link] –(Mangifera, Tectona)
• Branched raceme
• Main peduncle- sec. & tertiary peduncle
• Flowers develop on sec. & ter.
• Peduncle in acropetal succession
• Growth is centripetal

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6. UMBEL: Pedicels arise from the same point,
forming an umbrella-like cluster (e.g., Coriander,
Lantana camara).
•Centripetal succession
•Flowers at same level
•Pedicel equal length &
•Compound umbel – Allium

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7. CAPITULUM (HEAD): Flowers are sessile and
form a compact cluster (e.g., sunflower).
•Peduncle flattened – receptacle
•Small & sessile flowers in acropetal succession
called florets
•Involucre of bracts
•2 Types of florets
•Along periphery – Ray florets
(Zygomorphic & Female)
•Florets at centre – Disc florets
(Actinomorphic & Bisexual)
•Globose head – Mimosa, Gomphrena

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8. CATKIN/ AMENTUM – (Acalypha, Morus,
Artocarpus)
•Pendulous spike
•Sessile & unisexual flowers
•Thin & slender axis
•Remain pendant mostly/ erect

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Cymose Inflorescence: Main axis in a flower, restricting
further growth & flowers in basipetal order.

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1. UNIPAROUS (MONOCHASIAL) CYME: The main axis produces a
single lateral branch at a time (e.g., Jasmine).
•Gives rise to single secondary peduncle
• Secondary peduncle to tertiary peduncle
•Out of two bracteoles, only one developed
•Second bracteole suppressed
•Lateral branches develop only on one side
i.e. monochasial helicoid cyme (hamelia)
•All flowers on same side of axis
•Lateral branches develop on alternate sides
i.e. monochasial scorpiod cyme (heliotropium)
•Flowers on alternate sides

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2. BIPAROUS (DICHASIAL) CYME: The main axis ends in a flower and
produces two lateral branches simultaneously (e.g., dianthus).
•Main axis ends in flower
•2 Bracteoles
•One flower each develops
•Each has 2 bracteoles
•From these, arise 2 flowers each
•Cluster of symmetrical flowers
•Bracteoles of older flower form Bracts of
younger
•Basipetal succession
•Centrifugal growth

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3. MULTIPAROUS (POLYCHASIAL) CYME: The main axis produces
multiple branches simultaneously (e.g., Nerium).
•More than two secondary & tertiary peduncles
•Terminal flower with bracteoles
•From these, secondary peduncle
•Give rise to more than two flowers
•Each flower with bracteoles
•Give rise to tertiary peduncle
•They give rise more than two
flowers each (Calotropis)

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Abhay Kashyap
 Key Differences Between Racemose
and Cymose Inflorescence

1. Unlimited
Growth
2. Acropetal
Succession
3. Do not ends
in a flower 1. Limited Growth
2. Basipetal Succession
3. Ends in a flower

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 Conclusion
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 SPECIAL TYPES OF INFLORESCENCE
1. HYPANTHODIUM/ SYCONUS/ SYCONIUM
• Condensed cymose
• Seen in Ficus
• Peduncle forms fleshy, hollow flask Shaped receptacle
• Terminal opening – ostiole
• Pollinators enter
• Ostiole with small hairs
• Small, sessile unisexual flowers inside
• Male flowers near ostiole
• Sterile flowers middle
• Female flowers at base
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2. VERTICILLASTER – (Leucas, Stachys)
•Compound inflorescence
•Two axillary opposite cymose
•In plants with opposite leaves ( lamiaceae)
•Clusters of sessile flowers as dichasium
•Further as monochasial scorpiod cyme
•Cluster of sessile flowers surrounding stem

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3. CYATHIUM – (Euphorbia)
• Typical of family Euphorbiaceae
• Condensed cymose
• Involucre cup by fusion of bracts
• Highly reduced peduncle
• Five scorpiod cymes of male flowers
• Female long, stalked, naked
• Male short , stalked & naked
• Single female flower
• Cyme of cymes

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4. COENANTHIUM – (Dorstenia)
•Peduncle ends in fleshy flat irrengular receptacle
•Numerous flowers
•Irregular arrangement
•Sessile unisexual flowers
•Dispersed in the receptacle

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5. THYRSUS –(Ocimum)
•Mixed of cymose & racemose
•Main peduncle racemose in nature
•Secondary peduncle as simple cyme
•Sec. Ped. With 3 flowers each
•Indeterminate growth of primary peduncle
•Sec. Ped determinate- ends in flower
•Develops 2 flowers from axil of bracts

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THANK YOU
A Presentation By
Abhay Kashyap