Inflorescence & Flower Parts

Question 1

Style of spike where male and female flowers are borne on a central column. Eg. Calla lily

Answer 1

Spadix

Question 2

Group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches

Answer 2

Inflorescence

Question 3

Stalk of an inflorescence or a stalk bearing a solitary flower in a one-flowered inflorescence

Answer 3

Peduncle

Question 4

Stem that attaches single flowers to the main stem of the inflorescence

Answer 4

Pedicel

Question 5

Modified leaf that sits under a flower (Subtends the inflorescence)

Answer 5

Bract

Question 6

Whorl of bracts

Answer 6

Involucral bracts

Question 7

Flower without a stalk (pedicel or peduncle)

Answer 7

Sessile

Question 8

Flower have similar parts directed to one side only

Answer 8

Secund

Question 9

Flowers bloom from the base upwards or from the outside inwards

Answer 9

Indeterminate inflorescence

Question 10

Flowers bloom from the center outwards or from the apex downward

Answer 10

Determinate inflorescence

Question 11

Inflorescence composed of sessile (stalkless) flowers arranged along a rachis (ex. cat tail)

Answer 11

Spike

Question 12

Inflorescence with stalked flowers arranged singly along an elongated unbranched axis (ex. lily of the valley)

Answer 12

Raceme

Question 13

Compound raceme or branched cluster of flowers (ex. Grasses)

Answer 13

Panicle

Question 14

Like a raceme, but the pedicels all elongating to the same level to give the inflorescence a flat-topped appearance (ex. goldenrod, yarrow)

Answer 14

Corymb

Question 15

Inflorescence which consists of a number of short flower stalks which are equal in length and spread from a common point, somewhat like umbrella ribs (ex. carrot, wild onion)

Answer 15

Umbel

Question 16

Elongated inflorescence composed of numerous inconspicuous, usually dense, cylindrical, often drooping clusters of unisexual flowers with no petals (ex willow)

Answer 16

Catkin

Question 17

Consists of many little florets: tubular “disc” flowers in the center and/or “strap-like” ray flowers around the edge (ex. both: sunflowers; only disc: blazing star; only ray: dandelion)

Answer 17

Composite/Head flowers

Question 18

Flowers borne in a tight circle at each node

Answer 18

Verticil

Question 19

Name four features of monocots

Answer 19

• Parallel veined leaf
• 1 cotyledon
• Fibrous roots
• Floral parts in multiples of 3

Question 20

Name four features of dicots

Answer 20

• Netted veined leaf
• 2 cotyledons
• Tap root
• Floral parts in multiple of 4 or 5

Question 21

Male parts of the flower

Answer 21

Stamen, consists of anther and filament

Question 22

Female parts of the flower

Answer 22

Pistil, composed of stigma, style, and ovary

Question 23

Separate usually green parts forming the calyx of a flower (aka outer whorl of the perianth)

Answer 23

sepal

Question 24

One of the separate, usually colored parts forming the corolla of a flower (aka inner whorl of the perianth)

Answer 24

petal

Question 25

Flowers that can be divided by only a single plants into two mirror-image halves

Answer 25

Zygomorphic

Question 26

Flowers that can be divided into symmetrical halves by more than one longitudinal plane (like cutting a pie)

Answer 26

Actinomorphic