Inflorescence and its Types
INFLORESCENCE:
Inflorescence: the group or arrangement in which flowers are borne on a plant.
Spike |
An elongate, unbranched, indeterminate inflorescence with sessile flowers. |
Spikelet |
A small spike, characteristic of grasses and sedges. |
Raceme |
An elongate, unbranched, indeterminate inflorescence with pedicelled flowers. |
Panicle |
A branched raceme. |
Corymb |
A flat-topped raceme with elongate pedicels reaching the same level. |
Compound Corymb |
A branched Corymb. |
Umbel |
a flat-topped or rounded inflorescence with the pedicels originating from a common point. Umbels can be determinate or indeterminate. |
Compound Umbel |
a branched umbel, with primary rays arising from a common point, and secondary umbels arising from the tip of the primary rays. |
Capitulum
|
a dense vertically compressed inflorescence with sessile flowers on a receptacle and subtended by an involucre of phyllaries, characteristic of the Asteraceae. Heads can be determinate or indeterminate. |
Thyrse |
a many-flowered inflorescence with an indeterminate central axis and many opposite, lateral dichasia; a mixed inflorescence, with determinate and indeterminate shoots. |
Simple Cyme or Dichasium |
A determinate inflorescence with 2 dichotomous lateral branches and pedicles of equal length. |
Compound Dichasium |
a branched dichasium |
Compound Cyme |
a determinate thyrse. |
Helicoid Cyme
|
a determinate cyme in which the branches develop only on 1 side, due to the abortion of opposing paired bud, the inflorescence thus appearing simple. |
Cincinnus |
a tight, modified helicoid cyme in which the pedicels are very short. |
Scorpioid Cyme
|
a zig-zag determinate cyme with branches developing alternately on opposite sides of the rachis, due to abortion of opposing paired bud. |
Capitulum (= head):a dense cluster of sessile flowers. adj. Capitate. Catkin:a spike in which the flowers are unisexual and without conspicuous perianth. Corymb:a Racemose inflorescence in which the pedicels of the lower flowers are longer than those of the flowers above, bringing all flowers to about the same level. Cyme:an inflorescence in which each flower, in turn, is formed at the tip of a growing axis and further flowers are formed on branches arising below it. adj. cymose. cf. raceme. Glomerule:a small compact cluster. adj. glomerulate. Raceme:an indeterminate inflorescence in which the main axis produces a series of flowers on lateral stalks, the oldest at the base and the youngest at the top. adj. Racemose. cf. cyme. Spadix:a spicate inflorescence with a stout, often succulent axis. Spike:an unbranched, indeterminate inflorescence in which the flowers are without stalks. adj. spicate. Syconium:a multiple fruit with a hollow center, e.g. in figs (Ficus). Thyrse:a branched inflorescence in which the main axis is indeterminate and the lateral branches determinate in their growth. Umbel:a Racemose inflorescence in which all the individual flower stalks arise in a cluster at the top of the peduncle and are of about equal length. Verticillaster:a false whorl of opposed cymes. |
Simple, Compound, Special
Racemose:
Stem continue to grow and new flower arise toward the tip
Simple Raceme:
Pedicles of equal length
Corymb:
All flower at the same level
Spike:
Flowers sessile
Catkin:
Spike with unisexual flower
Capitulum:
The inflorescence of floret appear to be a single flower
Hypenthodium:
Male and female flower in the chamber
Cymose:
A flower arises at the tip and new flowers arise below it.
Uniparous:
The main axis ends in a flower below which a daughter axis is produced which again ends in flower.
Biparous:
Two branches arise
Multiparous:
More than two branches
Cymose Head:
Sessile scorpioid cyme
Scorpoil:
Branches arise on alternate side.
Special:
Cyathium:
The main axis ends in a female flower, born on a long stalk. The flower is at base surrounded by involucre. Inside involucre male flower is present.
Verticillaster:
At single node two clusters of flowers.
Umbellate cymose head:
The flower is in clusters of helicoid cymose.
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