Floral Structure

Question 1

What is a carpel?

Answer 1

A modified, conduplicate megasporophyll that makes up the pistil; a single unit.

Question 2

What is the septum (pl. septa)?

Answer 2

The partition or cross-wall that separates the carpels.

Question 3

What is a locule?

Answer 3

The ovary cavity inside which is the ovule.

Question 4

What is the placenta?

Answer 4

Tissue inside the ovary that bears ovules.

Question 5

What is the funiculus?

Answer 5

The stalk that connects the ovule to the placenta.

Question 6

What is the column?

Answer 6

The central axis inside the ovary, which may be present or absent, and to which the ovules may or may not be attached.

Question 7

What are the six types of placentation?

Answer 7

Marginal (at the edge), axile (at the center axis), parietal (on the wall), free-central (like axile but not full attached), basal (at the base), and apical (at the top).

Question 8

What is the pistil?

Answer 8

The entirety of the gynoecium including ovary, style(s), and stigma(s).

Question 9

Define apocarpous.

Answer 9

When carpels are separate and unfused.

Question 10

Define syncarpous.

Answer 10

Several carpels have been fused into one structure.

Question 11

Define unicarpellous.

Answer 11

When only one carpel is present.

Question 12

Define hypogenous.

Answer 12

Without a hypanthium; the ovary is superior to the floral parts.

Question 13

Define perigynous.

Answer 13

With a hypanthium; the ovary is level to the floral parts.

Question 14

Define epigynous.

Answer 14

With or without a hypanthium; the ovary is inferior to the floral parts.

Question 15

Define dioecious.

Answer 15

Unisexual plants with imperfect flowers; individual plants have either all male or female flowers.

Question 16

Define monoecious.

Answer 16

Bisexual plants with imperfect flowers; individual plants have separate male and female flowers on the same plant.

Question 17

Define hermaphrodite.

Answer 17

Bisexual plants with perfect flowers; individual plants have flowers containing both male and female reproductive organs.

Question 18

What are some ancestral (primitive) character states?

Answer 18

Flowers radially symmetric (actinomorphic), many distinct floral parts, pollination by beetles, flowers bisexual (perfect), flowers hypogynous, ovary superior, flowers solitary.

Question 19

What are some derived (advanced) character states?

Answer 19

Flowers bilaterally symmetrical (zygomorphic), small number of fused floral parts, pollination by wind or bees, flowers unisexual (imperfect), flowers epigynous, ovary inferior, flowers in inflorescences.