Flowers

FLOWERS
• Is not a single organ but a branch bearing
leaf like and stem like parts on a short
axis. Develop from buds while floral
organs develop as protuberances from
the growing tip of a bud.
• Is a modified twig adapted primarily for
reproduction which ultimately forms into
fruit and the seeds.
 PARTS OF COMPLETE FLOWER
A flower contains four sets
of parts arranged in whorls
on the receptacle the
swollen tip of the pedicel
Accessory parts
 Sepal (calyx)
- protects the inner part of
flower
- prevents dessication
 Petal (corolla)
-most noticeable portion
-different colors
Perianth – calyx and
corolla
 Stamen (androecium)
male gametophyte
pollen
anther
filament
 Carpel (gynoecium)
-female reproductive
leaf and ovule bearing
structure of a flower
a.Stigma
b.Ovary
- swollen basal part
c. Style (tube like
structure)
Modified stem:
- receptacle or
peduncle (floral stalk)
 Floral Variations:
1. Parts present
a. Complete
- flowers with four
modified leaves
(petal, sepal, stamen
and carpel
b. Incomplete
- lacks any of the
modified leaves

Rue anemone with 5-10

sepals but no petals
2. Sexuality
a. Perfect
- bisexual or
hermaproditic
- carpel and stamen
- animal pollinated

b. Imperfect
- unisexual
- carpel or stamen
- wind pollinated
 Two types of imperfect flower:

1. pistillate
– female flower

2. staminate
– male flower
3. Number of flower parts
a. Dicotyledonous
- flower parts in 4’s
and 5’s or divisible by
4 or 5
ex. magnolia

b. Monocotyledonous
- flower parts are in 3’s
or divisible by 3’s
Patersonia
4. Nature of flowers
a. Regular
- modified leaves are of
the same size and shape

b. Irregular
- modified leaves are
different in size and
shape
 Irregular Flowers:
1. Papilionaceous
a. standard/banner
- largest outermost showy
petal
b. wings or alae
- two lateral petals
c. keel or carina
-innermost petals
ex. blue pea
Broom ( Cytisus
scoparius)
2. Caesalpinaceous
-flower consists of 5
petals
a. banner
- smallest innermost
petal
b. 2 wings
c. 2 keels same
size and
shape
ex. caballero
3. Bilabiate (2- lipped)
- petals are partially
united
-partially united petals
form the upper and
lower lips
ex. sky flower
4. Orchidaceous
- flower has 3 petals
labellum – petal
which is entirely
different in size and
shape
5. Symmetry of flowers
a. Actinomorphic
- radial symmetry
- flowers can be divided
into 2 equal halves
along any plane
b. Zygomorphic
- bilateral symmetry
- divided into 2 equal
halves only by a medial
cut through the central
axis
6. Position of the ovary
a. Superior ovary
- petals and sepals ovary
inserted below the ovary
- Hypogynous
b. Inferior ovary
- petals and sepals
inserted above the ovary
- Epigynous
7. Placentation
placenta
- tissue where ovules are
attached inside the ovary

placentation
- arrangement of placenta in
the ovary
locule
- chamber
 TYPES OF PLACENTATION

a. axile placentation
b. parietal placentation
c. free central
d. basal placentation
e. marginal
AXILE- the placenta are found at the
central axis of a compound ovary
example: tomato, bell pepper, santol.
PARIETAL PLACENTATION- the placenta
are found on the wall of compound ovary.
A compound ovary has two or more
locules examples: kundol, patola upo,
kalabasa, melon, papaya.
MARGINAL PLACENTATION- the placenta
are located on a wall of a ovary. A single
ovary has one chamber or locule.
Example: sitao, bataw, mani.
BASAL PLAACENTATION- the placenta with a single ovule
is found more or less at the base of the ovary. Example :
sunflower, cosmos.
 Flower Shapes

Shape Name and Description Example

Campanulate

(Bell-shaped) A flower with a wide tube and flared lobes (petal tips), typical of the Bellflower
family (Campanulaceae). The length of the tube is variable, and the open-ness of the flower, but
campanulate is generally shorter and fatter than tubular, and more closed than stellate.

The example is Campanula cochlearifolia.

Funnelform

(Funnel-shaped) A flower that widens gradually from the base, ending in an open or flared shape.

The example is Cyrtanthus elatus.

Trumpet-shaped

A flower that starts as a narrow tube, but widens into a flared mouth, where the petals often turn
back.

The example is Petunia grandiflora.

Salverform

A flower with a long, thin tube, that widens suddenly into a flat-faced flower.

The example is Plumbago auriculata.

Tubular

A flower with a long, thin, straight-sided tube formed of united petals, often separating at the mouth
into a flared shape.

The example is a Kniphofia hybrid.

Urceolate

(Urn-shaped) A flower in which the petals are fused into an almost enclosed globe shape, separating
at the mouth into individual flared petals.

The example is Erica tetralix.

Bowl-shaped

A flower with a deep dish shape, roughly hemispherical, with straight sides or with a very slight
flare at the tips. Much the same as cup-shaped.

The example is Argemone mexicana.

Saucer-shaped

A flower that is almost flat, with slightly upturned petal tips.

The example is Geranium wallichianum.

Stellate

(Star-shaped) A flower with many narrow petals arising separately from a central point.

The example is Sisyrinchium bermudianum album.

Cruciform

(Cross-shaped) A flower with four petals at right angles to one another. Typical of members of the
Cabbage Family (Brassicaceae).

The example is an unknown tropical species.

Labiate

(Lipped) A flower divided into an upper 'hood' and a lower flat or pouched lip, typical of members
of the Deadnettle/Mint Family (Lamiaceae).

The example is Salvia texensis.

Papilionaceous

(Pea-shaped) The flower shape typical of members of the Papilionaceae, having a large upper petal
called the standard, two large side petals called wings, and two lower petals, often fused together,
called the keel, which encloses the stamens and stigma.

The example is Parochetus communis.

Ligulate

(Strap-shaped) A flower with one large, long, thin petal, typical of ray-florets of the Aster/Daisy
Family (Asteraceae). These look like single petals but are all individual flowers, each one capable of
producing its own seed.

The example is Cosmos bipinnatus.

 Inflorescence or Anthotaxy
- Flower clusters
- differ in:
a. number of flowers present
b. sequence of floral maturity
c. length of the pedicel
d. number and arrangement of peduncles
Kinds of Inflorescence:
1. Raceme
-unbranched main axis
or peduncle
-florets mature all at
the same time
-pedicels are of the
same length
ex. gladiola, corrales

pedicel
2. Panicle
- branched main axis
or peduncle
- florets mature at the
same time
ex. rice, cadena d
amor e

Branched peduncle
3. Spike
- elongated axis
- sessile (florets
without pedicel)
ex.Seifritz’s flower
4. Ament or catkin
-special type of spike
-elongated axis
hanging or drooping
- flowers are usually
unisexual
ex. buntot pusa
5. Spadix
-fleshy spike with
both male and female
flowers
-petalloid bract
(spathe)
ex. anthurium, gabi
pongapong
Amorphophallus titanum
The world’s largest flower
- spadix is 46 inches
tall! A rare plant of the
Indonesia rain forest
6. Cyme
-inflorescence is more
or less flat or convex
-pedicels of younger
flowers at the margin
are longer than the
older flowers at the
center
ex. Shanghai beauty Younger flowers
santan, mayana
7. Corymb
-similar with chyme
-pedicels of younger
flower shorter (center)
-pedicels of older
flower longer (margin
or base)
ex. caballero
8. Umbel
- axis is shorter Simple umbel
- pedicillate flowers
radiated from the
rounded apex of the
axis
ex. Japanese
bamboo
Compound umbel
9. Head or capitate
- flowers are sessile
(no pedicel)
- arrangement of flowers
similar to umbel
- flowers may be of 2 kinds:
1. disc flower
- located at the center
2. ray flower
- located at the margin
ex. sunflower, cosmos
10. Fascicle
- closed cluster or
small bundle of
pedicelled or sessile
flowers on one side
of the stem
ex. abaca, false birds
of paradise