EX.11 - Flowers

• A flower is the reproductive part of a plant.
• Anthers are fixed to filaments and positioned.
• The function of a flower is to mediate the union of male sperm with female ovum in order to produce seeds.
• Stigma is small and is located within the flower.
• Pollination/reproduction is a process in which the pollen grains from the flower anther are transferred to the stigma.
• Fertilization is a process of fusion of the pollen grains with the ovum to form the zygote.
• The accessory parts of a flower, also known as vegetative whorls, are not involved in the reproductive process.
• The peduncle or pedicel of a flower swells at its tip into a small pad known as the receptacle.
• The outermost whorl of a flower typically consists of three to five small, usually green, somewhat lead-like sepals.
• The collective term for all the sepals of a flower is the calyx.
• COMPLETE: possess all the four whorls.
• INCOMPLETE: do not possess any one or more of the four whorls.
• PERFECT: with both male and female reproductive organs.
• IMPERFECT: with only one reproductive organ, either male or female.
• PISTILLATE: only pistil is present.
• STAMINATE: only stamen is present.
• The petals of a flower, collectively, are known as the corolla.
• MONOECIOUS: with male and female flowers in separate structure on the same plant.
• DIOECIOUS: with male and female flowers on different plants.
• POLYGAMOUS: with male and female in the same flower on the same plant.
• HYPOGYNOUS: with superior ovary.
• PERIGYNOUS: with a half-inferior ovary.
• EPIGYNOUS: with an inferior ovary.
• Perianth is the outer part of a flower.
• The essential parts of a flower, also known as the reproductive whorls, include the stamen and pistil.
• The stamen is the male reproductive part of the flower, made up of filament and an anther, which produces the pollen.
• The pistil is the female reproductive part of a flower, which produces ovules which are the female reproductive egg cells.
• The style of a flower is a tube on top of the ovary, which allows pollen grains to travel from stigma to ovule.
• PANICLE: indeterminate flower with repeated branching can be made up of racemes, spikes, corymbs, or umbels.
• RACEME: modification of a spike with flowers attached to a main stem by stemlets.
• SOLITARY (OR SINGLE): one flower per stem.
• SPADIX: showy part is a bract or spathe, partially surrounding the male and female flowers inside.
• SPIKE: flowers attached to main stem, without stemlets, bottom florets open first.
• UMBEL: florets with stemlets attached to main stem at one central point, forming a flat or rounded top.
• SELF-POLLINATION: The process occurs when the pollen grains from the anther is deposited on the stigma of the same flower, or another flower on the same plant.
• CROSS-POLLINATION: This process occurs when the pollen grains are transferred from the anther of one flower into the stigma of another flower of different plant of the same species.
• Wind Pollinated Petals: Small, inconspicuous sometimes absent, If present, not brightly colored.
• Scent: NONE.
• Nectar: Absent.
• Pollen: Produced in large quantities, light, smooth pollen grains.