Flower, Fruit & Seed Anatomy (HORT 2050) - VOCABULARY Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms related to the anatomy of flowers, fruits, and seeds as presented in the notes.

Angiosperms

Flowering plants with seeds enclosed in a fruit.

Gymnosperms

Seed plants with naked seeds not enclosed by a fruit.

Flower

The reproductive structure in flowering plants; functions include sexual reproduction, attracting pollinators, and developing into fruit/seed after pollination; may form an inflorescence.

Inflorescence

Cluster of flowers gathered on a stem.

Stamen

Male reproductive organ of a flower; part of the androecium; consists of filament and anther.

Anther

Pollen-producing part of the stamen.

Filament

Stalk of a stamen.

Carpel

Female reproductive organ; consists of stigma, style, and ovary; collectively called the gynoecium; Pistil = one or more carpels.

Gynoecium

All the female reproductive parts of a flower (carpels).

Pistil

1 or more carpels; the female reproductive organ of the flower.

Stigma

Sticky receptive tip of the carpel.

Style

Stalk connecting the stigma to the ovary.

Ovary

Female part of the flower that contains ovules and develops into fruit.

Ovule

Structure within the ovary that becomes a seed after fertilization.

Petal

Showy part of the flower; part of the corolla; helps attract pollinators.

Sepal

Outer floral leaves; typically green; collectively called the calyx.

Calyx

All sepals of a flower considered together.

Corolla

All petals of a flower considered together.

Pedicel

Flower stalk.

Receptacle

The part of a flower stalk where the floral parts are attached.

Androecium

All male parts of a flower (stamens).

Four Whorls of a Flower

Calyx (sepals), Corolla (petals), Stamens (androecium), Carpels (gynoecium).

Complete Flower

Has all four whorls (calyx, corolla, stamens, and carpels).

Perfect Flower

Has both stamens and pistil (male and female organs).

Imperfect Flower

Lacks either a stamen or a pistil.

Staminate

Male flower (contains stamens but no pistil).

Pistillate

Female flower (contains pistil but may lack stamens).

Hermaphrodites

Plants that have both male and female reproductive structures, often within the same flower.

Monoecious

Male and female reproductive structures on the same plant.

Dioecious

Male and female reproductive structures on separate plants.

Monocots

Floral structures in multiples of 3; parallel venation; scattered vascular bundles; typical of grasses, palms, bamboo.

Dicots

Floral structures in multiples of 4–5; reticulate (net-like) venation; growth rings and cork cambium present in stems.

Pericarp

The fruit wall; composed of exocarp, mesocarp, and endocarp.

Exocarp

Outer layer of the fruit wall (skin).

Mesocarp

Middle fleshy layer of the fruit wall.

Endocarp

Inner layer of the fruit wall (may be hard, as in drupes).

Simple Fruit

Fruit formed from one ovary of a single flower; can be fleshy or dry; most simple fruits are berries.

Berry

A simple fleshy fruit with one or more seeds.

Hesperidium

Citrus-type berry with a leathery rind.

Drupe

Fruit with a single seed enclosed by a hard endocarp (stone fruit).

Aggregate Fruit

Fruit formed from multiple ripened ovaries within one flower; fruitlets fuse into a single fruit.

Multiple Fruit

Fruit formed from ripened ovaries of multiple flowers that fuse together; pericarps coalesce into one large fruit.

Accessory Fruit

Contains tissue derived from plant parts other than the ovary (hypanthium); false fruit; examples: apples, pears.

Hypanthium

Floral cup formed by the fusion of the bases of sepals, petals, and/or stamens; contributes to some fruits.

Parthenocarpy

Ovary grows into a fruit without fertilization; can occur naturally or artificially; advantages include no reliance on pollinators and longer shelf life.

Parthenocarpic Fruit

Fruit that develops without fertilization; often seedless (e.g., some bananas).

Strawberry

Accessory fruit; the edible part is the receptacle; the true fruit is the achenes on the surface.

Banana

Typically a parthenocarpic berry; fruit develops without fertilization and is usually seedless.

Blackberry

Aggregate fruit; formed from multiple ripened ovaries in a single flower.

Avocado

A berry (simple fruit) with a single seed.

Tomato

Botanically a berry; the edible flesh is the pericarp; develops from the ovary; pedicel is the flower stalk.

Cotyledons

Seed leaves; monocots have 1, dicots have 2; store food for the embryo.

Embryo

The young plant inside a seed.

Endosperm

Nutritive tissue that nourishes the developing embryo (common in seeds, especially monocots).

Seed Coat

Protective outer covering of a seed.

Epicotyl

Part of the embryo above the cotyledons in the seedling.

Hypocotyl

Part of the embryo below the cotyledons in the seedling.

Radicle

The embryonic root; the first root to emerge from a seed.

Monocot (cotyledon count)

Seed with one cotyledon; examples include corn and rice.

Dicot (cotyledon count)

Seed with two cotyledons; examples include beans and sunflowers.

Strawberry (receptacle vs fruit)

Edible part is the receptacle; true botanical fruit is the achene.