Flowers

Are modified twigs adapted primarily for reproduction, which ultimately forms the fruit and the seed.

Parts of a Complete Flower

Pistil: Stigma Style Ovary Floral envelope or Perianth: Petal (corolla) Sepal (calyx) Stamen: Anther Filament

Floral stalk: Receptacle (torus) Peduncle

Stigma slightly enlarged tip of the style on which pollen is deposited at pollination Style a long and thin filament that serves as a passageway for pollen grains to move from the stigma to the ovary Ovary a swollen basal part of a pistil which carries the ovule or eggs (yellow); where fertilized eggs develop

CARPEL (Gynoecium) The female reproductive part of a flower. It is collectively known as the Pistil.

Types of Carpels (Gynoecium)

Avocado (Persea sp.)

If a gynoecium has a single carpel, it is called Monocarpous or Unicarpellate Gynoecium

Types of Carpels (Gynoecium)

Unfused Carpels

Strawberry (Fragaria sp.)

If a gynoecium has multiple, distinct (free, unfused) carpels, it is apocarpous.

Types of Carpels (Gynoecium)

Fused Carpels

Tulip (Tulipa sp.)

If a gynoecium has multiple carpels fused (connate) into a single structure, it is syncarpous.

Anther where pollens are formed Filament a stalk holding the pollen at its tip

STAMEN (Androecium) The male reproductive part of a flower

Petal (corolla) the innermost whorl surrounding the flowers reproductive parts. It is usually brightly colored to attract pollinators Sepal (calyx ) usually a green leaf-like structure that forms the outermost floral whorl; it protects the inner parts of the flower before it opens.

FLORAL ENVELOPE or PERIANTH

FLORAL STALK
Receptacle (torus) thickened part of a stem from which the flower grows Peduncle a stalk supporting the flower

Variable Features and Structures of Flowers

Color

Gerbera daisies (Gerbera sp.)

Dutchman's Pipe (Epiphyllum oxypetalum)

Day-blooming flowers are generally brightly colored

Night-blooming flowers are usually white, creamy or yellowish

Odor

Ilang-ilang (Cananga odorata)

Corpse flower (Amorphophallus titanum)

Flower with fragrant odor

Flower with stinky odor

Parts Present
Complete Flowers flowers are said to be complete when the four main parts (petal, sepal, stamen and carpel) are present Incomplete Flower flowers are incomplete when one or more of the main parts are not present

Sexuality
Flowers with both stamen and carpel are called Perfect Flowers. These flowers can also be called bisexual or hermaphroditic flowers. Flowers that have only either stamen or carpel are called Imperfect Flowers. This flowers can also be called Unisexual flowers. An imperfect flower with only the carpel or pistil is called Pistillate flower. One with the stamen only is a Staminate flower.

Perfect Flower

Gumamela (Hibiscus sp.)

Chichirica (Catharanthus roseus)

Imperfect Flower - Monoecious

Both male and female flowers are found on the same plant.
Corn (Zea mays)

Pistillate flower

Staminate flower

Imperfect Flower - Dioecious

Imperfect flowers are borne on separate plants
Papaya (Carica papaya)

Staminate flower

Pistillate flower

Imperfect Flower - Polygamous

Perfect and imperfect flowers are found in a single plant.

Canadian Burnet (Sanguisorba sp.)

Nature of flowers
Flowers are Regular when the members of each set of organs (sepals, petals, stamen and carpels) are of the same size and shape Flowers are Irregular when some members of one or more sets of organs are different in size or shape or both.
Bleeding heart (Dicentra Spectabilis)

Regular flower
Members of each set of organs are of the same size and shape

Rose (Rosa sp.)

Cosmos (Cosmos bipinnatus )

Irregular flower - Papilionaceous

Standard petal or Banner Outermost and the largest part of the flower

Wings or Alae Two lateral petals

Keels or Carinae Two innermost and smallest petal.

Chicharo (Pisum sativum)

Irregular flower - Caesalpinaceous

Wings Two upper lateral petals Banner Innermost and smallest petal Keel Two lower lateral petals

Caballero (Caesalpinia pulcherrima)

Irregular flower - Bilabiate

Upper Lip

Lower Lip

Sage (salvia officinalis)

Snap Dragon (Antirrhinum majus)

Irregular flower - Orchidaceous

Sepals Three outermost whorl Petals Two innermost whorl

Lip or Labellum Also a petal but with different shape and size
Cattleya (Cattleya sp.)

Fusion of flowers
Connation when like parts are fused or united
Fused petals forming a cone Fused filaments

Morning Glory (Ipomea sp.)

Blue eye grass (Sisyrinchium atlanticum)

Adnation when unlike parts are fused Stamen is adnate to petals

Lip is adnate to stamen

Angels trumpet (Datura wrightii)

Crucifix Orchid (Epidendrum secundum)

Number of flowers parts

Monocot Flower parts are in 3s or in multiple of 3s

Benguet Lily (Liliaceae sp.)

Giant Spiderwort (Tradescantia gigantea)

Dicot Flower parts are in 4s or 5s or in multiple of 4s or 5s

Monkey-flower (Mimulus lewisii)

Rosal (Gardenia jasminoides)

Symmetry
Actinomorphic radial symmetry flowers can be divided into 2 equal halves along any plane

Zygomorphic bilateral symmetry divided into 2 equal halves only by a medial cut through the central axis

Actinomorphic

Banaba (Lagerstroemia speciosa)

Water Lily (Nymphaea sp.)

Zygomorphic

Sword Lily (Gladiolus sp.)

Dancing ladies (Oncidium altissimum)

Ovary Position
Superior or Hypogynous

ovary The sepals and petals are attached below the ovary
Kalamansi (Citrofortunella microcarpa)

Half-Superior /Half-Inferior or Perigynous The sepals and petals are attached at the side of the ovary

Golasiman (Portulaca oleracea)

ovary

Ground Orchid (Spathoglottis plicata)

ovary
Squash (Cucurbita sp.)

Inferior or Epigynous ovary The sepals and petals are attached above the ovary

Placentation
The places where the ovules are attached in the ovary are known as placentae. The arrangement of the placentae inside the ovary is called placentation

Axile
The placentae are found at the central axis of a compound ovary

ovaries with ovules

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum)

Parietal
The placentae are found on the wall of a compound ovary .

Cucumber (Cucumis sativus)

ovaries with ovules

Marginal
The placentae are located on the wall of a single ovary. A single ovary has one chamber or locule.
ovary with ovules

String Beans (Phaseolus vulgaris)

Basal
The placentae with a single ovule is found more or less at the base of the ovary

ovaries with ovules

Chrysanthemums (Chrysanthemums indicum)

Inflorescence
Flower clusters are called inflorescence. These may differ in the number of flowers borne, the sequence of flower maturation, the length of flower stalks, the number and arrangement of the floral branches or peduncles.

Spike
An inflorescence has an elongated axis with sessile (without pedicel) florets
Bottle brush (Callistemon lanceolatus)

Pancit-pancita (Peperomia pellucida)

Raceme

Aloe vera (Aloe vera)

Golden Shower (Laburnum anagyroides)

The elongated axis is unbranched. The flowers are provided with stalks or pedicles of equal lengths and are called pedicellate flowers.

Panicle

Tigbi (Coix lachryma-jobi)

The elongated axis is branched. Flowers are pedicellate, opening all at the same time

Rice (Oriza sativa)

Corymb

Caballero (Caesalpinia pulcherrima)

Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)

It has a more or less flat convex top because of the pedicels bearing the outer, older flowers are longer than the younger flowers at the center.

Umbel
The axis is short so that all the pedicellate flowers radiate from the apex of the axis. Simple
Japanese bamboo (Dracaena surculosa)

Compound
Queen Annes Lace (Daucus carota)

Cyme
This inflorescence is similar to a corymb except that the inner pedicelled flowers open first

Santan (Ixora sp.)

Shanghai beauty (Jatropha pandurifolia)

Spadix

A fleshy spike (spadix) bearing both male and female flowers, surrounded by a petaloid bract called the spathe. spadix spathe

Anthurium (Anthurium andreanum)

Calla Lily (Zantedeschia sp.)

Syngonium (Syngonium schottianum)

Belembe Silvestre (Xanthosoma helleborifolium)

male florets

female florets

Catkin/ Ament

Copper plant (Acalypha wilkesiana)

Cats Tail (Acalypha hispida)

This inflorescence is a special type of spike which is hanging or drooping . The flowers are usually unisexual.

Birds of Paradise (Strelitzia sp.)

The pedicelled or sessile flowers are crowded at one side of the stem

Fascicle
Deerweed (Lotus scoparius)

Head/ Capitate

It is similar to umbel but the flowers are sessile. Usually the flowers are of two kinds: the disc flower at the center and the ray flowers at the margin

ray flowers

disc flowers

Sunflower (Helianthus annuus)

Gerbera (Gerbera jamesonii)

Head of Sunflower family