Chapter 3. Flower

Flowers

* A flower is the sexual reproductive unit of flowering or angiosperms.
* A flower ha four main whorls: Calyx, corolla, androecium and gynoecium, arranged on the thalamus or the receptacle.
* A bisexual flower has both androecium and gynoecium, while a unisexual flower has either androecium and gynoecium.
* Flowers can also be either asymmetrical or symmetrical based on the arrangement of the floral parts around the thalamus.
* Flowers are classified as trimerous, tetramerous or pentamerous based on the of flowering parts such as sepals, petals and stamens.
* Flowers with bracts or reduced leaves at the base of the thalamus called bracteates, while those without bracts are called ebracteate.
* Flowers are described as hypogynous, perigynous or epigynous based on the position of the gynoecium with respect to the calyx, corolla and androecium.
* The arrangement of flowers on the floral axis is called inflorescence.

Parts of a Flower


* A typical flower has four whorls: calyx, corolla and androecium ad gynoecium.

* The outermost whorl is the calyx, which consists of sepals that protect the flower in its bud stage.
* The whorl inner to the calyx is the corolla, which consists of petals that attract insects and the birds for pollination.
* The whorl inner to the corolla is the androecium, and it consist of stamens, which are the male reproductive organs of a flower.
* The innermost whorl is the gynoecium, and it consists of one or more carpels, which are the female reproductive organs of a flower.

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