Inflorescence Types
- I. Solitary Inflorescence. – The flowers that arise singly at the axil of vegetative leaf are solitary flower, e.g., china rose, Datura.
- II. Racemose Inflorescence. Racemose inflorescence is an indeterminate inflorescence which shows indefinite growth and bears a number of flowers due to the presence of active growing points.
- III. Cymose Inflorescence. ...
What is a solitary flower?
Or in another sense, Solitary flower is an inflorescence made up of only 1 flower. The complete terminology is: "inflorescence with solitary flower". To understand what is an inflorescence with solitary flower, you need to look for what is NOT an inflorescence with solitary flower.
What is the difference between solitary inflorescence and spike inflorescence?
Inflorescences with oldest flower at the end of the main axis are called "determinate" (i.e. terminal bud stops growing and lateral flowers are produced from axillary buds.) Solitary: A single flower on a caulescent or acaulescent stem. Spike: Unbranched inflorescence with sessile flowers (no pedicels).
What are the different types of inflorescence?
Cymose Inflorescence 4. Mixed Inflorescence 5. Special Inflorescence. Type # 1. Solitary Flowers: Flowers occur singly or are separated from other flowers of the same plant by vegetative regions. Solitary flowers are formed by direct transformation of shoot tips into flowers.
What is a flower that is not part of an inflorescence?
A flower that is not part of an inflorescence is called a solitary flower and its stalk is also referred to as a peduncle. Any flower in an inflorescence may be referred to as a floret, especially when the individual flowers are particularly small and borne in a tight cluster, such as in a pseudanthium .
What is solitary in flower?
Solitary flower is one flower at a specific position of a plant. This flower appears singly or separated from other flowers by vegetative region.
What is solitary axillary inflorescence?
In option D, solitary axillary is mentioned. It is a further subdivision of solitary inflorescence. In this type of inflorescence, single flowers grow in the axils of leaves. This type of inflorescence is found in Petunia, Garden Nasturtium, and Shoe Flower.
What is the difference between solitary and inflorescence?
A flower that is not part of an inflorescence is called a solitary flower and its stalk is also referred to as a peduncle. Any flower in an inflorescence may be referred to as a floret, especially when the individual flowers are particularly small and borne in a tight cluster, such as in a pseudanthium.
Is the inflorescence solitary terminal or axillary?
Solitary terminal is the inflorescence in which single flower of the terminal part of growth. Solitary axillary: If single flower develops from the axis of leaves and branches of plant, then the inflorescence will be solitary axillary.
What is solitary in biology?
Solitary is the state of being alone or in solitude. The term may refer to: shortened form of solitary confinement. Solitary animal, an animal that does not live with others in its species. Solitary but social, a type of social organization in biology where individuals forage alone but share sleeping space.
Is Rose a solitary flower?
Think of roses , they are solitary terminals and are in numbers in each plant, always growing at the apices of branches.
Why are flowers solitary?
When a flower is not a part of an inflorescence, such a flower is called a solitary flower. The solitary flowers are always present at a specific position of the plant. The flower appears singly or separated from other flowers due to dense vegetative regions.
Which is not a solitary flower?
The flower is mainly the reproductive part of the plant. Due to the different colours of flowers, we are able to recognize the plant. Sunflower is NOT considered as a single flower rather a bunch of flowers.
Is Hibiscus a solitary flower?
In Cymose inflorescence, growth of peduncle is finite and it terminates into flower. In Hibiscus, flower is borne singly at the tip of peduncle. Hence, teacher described Hibiscus as solitary cyme.
What is axillary inflorescence?
Axillary inflorescence: It is terminal on a short axillary branch, which is reduced to an inflorescence. 3. Intercalary inflorescence: These are terminal clusters that have been left behind by continuing apical growth of the main axis, which form alternately fertile and sterile sections.
What is determinate inflorescence?
Determinate inflorescence. In determinate (cymose) inflorescences, the youngest flowers are at the bottom of an elongated axis or on the outside of a truncated axis. At the time of flowering, the apical meristem (the terminal point of cell division) produces a flower bud, thus arresting the growth of the peduncle.
What is a Zygomorphic flower?
Definition of zygomorphic of a flower. : having floral parts unequal in size or form so that the flower is capable of division into essentially symmetrical halves by only one longitudinal plane passing through the axis.
What is a solitary flower?
A flower that is not part of an inflorescence is called a solitary flower and its stalk is also referred to as a peduncle. Any flower in an inflorescence may be referred to as a floret, especially when the individual flowers are particularly small and borne in a tight cluster, such as in a pseudanthium .
What are the characteristics of an inflorescence?
Inflorescences are described by many different characteristics including how the flowers are arranged on the peduncle, the blooming order of the flowers and how different clusters of flowers are grouped within it.
What is the leaf of an inflorescence called?
Considering the broadest meaning of the term, any leaf associated with an inflorescence is called a bract . A bract is usually located at the node where the main stem of the inflorescence forms, joined to the rachis of the plant, but other bracts can exist within the inflorescence itself.
What is the fruiting stage of an inflorescence?
The fruiting stage of an inflorescence is known as an infructescence . Inflorescences may be simple (single) or complex ( panicle ). The rachis may be one of several types, including single, composite, umbel, spike or raceme .
What is an inflorescence in Aloe Hereroensis?
Aloe hereroensis, showing inflorescence with branched peduncle. An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Morphologically, it is the modified part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed. The modifications can involve the length and ...
What prevents terminal flower growth?
It is suggested that indeterminate flowers have a common mechanism that prevents terminal flower growth. Based on phylogenetic analyses, this mechanism arose independently multiple times in different species. In an indeterminate inflorescence there is no true terminal flower and the stem usually has a rudimentary end.
What is the axis of a flower called?
The major axis (incorrectly referred to as the main stem) above the peduncle bearing the flowers or secondary branches is called the rachis. The stalk of each flower in the inflorescence is called a pedicel. A flower that is not part of an inflorescence is called a solitary flower and its stalk is also referred to as a peduncle.
What is a special inflorescence?
Special Inflorescence. Type # 1. Solitary Flowers: Flowers occur singly or are separated from other flowers of the same plant by vegetative regions. Solitary flowers are formed by direct transformation of shoot tips into flowers.
What is the inflorescence of a receptacle?
Sterile, neuter or gall flowers occur in between the two groups. The inflorescence is formed by the condensation of three types of flower- bear ing axes (cymose groups).
What is the arrangement of flowers?
The arrangement of flowers is either acropetal (older towards base and younger towards apex) or centripetal (older towards periphery and younger towards centre). Racemose inflorescence is of two types, simple and compound.
Why do all pedicellate flowers arise from a single point in a centripetal fashion?
Umbel (Fig. 5.70): All the pedicellate flowers arise from a single point in a centripetal fashion because the peduncle is reduced. An involucres or a whorl of bracts is often present at the base of flowers, e.g., Androsace, Centella asiatica (= Hydrocotyle asiatica, vern. Brahmi).
How many flowers are in a cluster of cymes?
Two clusters, each having 3-9 flowers, develop on a node in the axils of opposite leaves. Each cluster consists of a dichasial cyme with monochasial branches. The axis of the cyme is shortened so that all the flowers arise from a single point.
What are the two types of flowers separated by downwardly directed sterile hair or neuter flower?
The two types of flowers are separated by downwardly directed sterile hair or neuter flower, e.g., Colocasia, Arum. In a spadix the appendix of the peduncle and the spathe are coloured to attract insects for pollination. The spathe is tubular in the basal region to protect the flowers. ADVERTISEMENTS: 9.
What is the pore of hypanthodium?
Hypanthodium has a flask-shaped fleshy receptacle which possesses a narrow canal and a terminal pore at one end. The pore is surrounded by a few scales while the canal is lined by downwardly pointed hairs. Internally the receptacle bears male flowers towards the pore and female flowers towards the base.
II. Racemose Inflorescence
Racemose inflorescence is an indeterminate inflorescence which shows indefinite growth and bears a number of flowers due to the presence of active growing points.
III. Cymose Inflorescence
Cymose inflorescence is the name of determinate or definite inflorescence in which the tip of the main axis terminates in a flower and further growth continues by one or more lateral branches which also behave like the main axis.
IV. Special Types of Inflorescence
Special types of inflorescence are basically cymose but ultimately it is modified to form a special appearance.
V. Mixed Inflorescence
Mixed inflorescence have both the characters of racemose and cymose type of inflorescence. Some examples of mixed inflorescence are as follows:
What is the name of the inflorescence with the oldest flower at the end of the main axis?
Inflorescences with oldest flower at the end of the main axis are called "determinate" (i.e. terminal bud stops growing and lateral flowers are produced from axillary buds.) Solitary: A single flower on a caulescent or acaulescent stem. Spike: Unbranched inflorescence with sessile flowers (no pedicels).
What is a panicle?
Panicle: A branched or compound raceme (i.e. main rachis with branches bearing flowers on pedicels). Corymb: Flat-topped inflorescence with youngest flowers at the end of main axis or rachis. Cyme: Flat-topped inflorescence with oldest flowers at the end of main axis. [Includes simple, compound and scorpioid cymes.]
What is the term for a cluster of flowers arising from the main stem axis?
Go To Leaf Terminology Part 1. Go To Leaf Terminology Part 2. An inflorescence may be defined as a cluster of flowers, all flowers arising from the main stem axis or peduncle: 1. Cyme. Note: The term scorpioid cyme is more correctly referred to as helicoid cyme. 2. Umbel.
What is a spike in a flower?
It consists of a thickened, fleshy axis (spike) bearing clusters of sessile, apetalous, unisexual flowers. The small unisexual flowers are packed together along the lower region of an erect, phallus-like central spike, typically with male flowers above the female.
What is the spherical ovary called?
Each carpel or pistil (also referred as a gynoecium) consists of a forked stigma, a short style and a spherical ovary. Each ovary (carpel) becomes a drupelet and the ripened cluster of drupelets (syncarp) is called a multiple fruit.
What is a spathe?
Spathe: A leaf-like bract or sheath that envelops an inflorescence. In the arum family (Araceae), the vase-shaped or funnel-like spathe is often brightly colored. The most remarkable spathe surrounds the inflorescence (spadix) of the corpse flower (Amorphophallus titanum), so named because of the stench of the blossom.
Overview
An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Morphologically, it is the modified part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed on the axis of a plant. The modifications can involve the length and the nature of the internodes and the phyllotaxis, as well as variations in the prop…
General characteristics
Inflorescences are described by many different characteristics including how the flowers are arranged on the peduncle, the blooming order of the flowers and how different clusters of flowers are grouped within it. These terms are general representations as plants in nature can have a combination of types. These structural types are largely based on natural selection.
Inflorescences usually have modified foliage different from the vegetative part of the plant. Consi…
Organization
There is no general consensus in defining the different inflorescences. The following is based on Focko Weberling's Morphologie der Blüten und der Blütenstände (Stuttgart, 1981). The main groups of inflorescences are distinguished by branching. Within these groups, the most important characteristics are the intersection of the axes and different variations of the …
Development and patterning
Genes that shape inflorescence development have been studied at great length in Arabidopsis. LEAFY (LFY) is a gene that promotes floral meristem identity, regulating inflorescence development in Arabidopsis. Any alterations in timing of LFY expression can cause formation of different inflorescences in the plant. Genes similar in function to LFY include APETALA1 (AP1). Mutations in LFY, AP1, and similar promoting genes can cause conversion of flowers into shoot…
Bibliography
• Focko Weberling: Morphologie der Blüten und der Blütenstände; Zweiter Teil. Verlag Eugen Ulmer, Stuttgart 1981
• Wilhelm Troll: Die Infloreszenzen; Erster Band. Gustav Fischer Verlag, Stuttgart 1964
• Wilhelm Troll: Die Infloreszenzen; Zweiter Band, Erster Teil. Gustav Fischer Verlag, Stuttgart 1969
External links
• Media related to Inflorescence at Wikimedia Commons