Flowering Plants - Structure and Reproduction

Vocabulary practice flashcards covering the structure, parts, and sexuality of flowering plants, including terminology for cohesion and plant distribution.

Flower

A specialized shoot in which the leaves are modified into floral structures, serving as the reproductive organ in plants.

Pedicel

The stalk which supports the flower; flowers without this stalk are described as sessile.

Thalamus or Receptacle

The enlarged, cup-shaped tip of the flower stalk on which the floral parts are borne.

Calyx

The first whorl of a flower, consisting of green sepals that protect the young flower bud and perform photosynthesis.

Corolla

The second whorl of a flower, consisting of large, brightly-coloured petals that attract insects for pollination.

Androecium

The third whorl of a flower consisting of stamens, which are the male reproductive parts.

Gynoecium

The fourth and innermost whorl of a flower consisting of carpels (pistils), which are the female reproductive parts.

Complete Flower

A flower that contains all four floral whorls: calyx, corolla, androecium, and gynoecium.

Essential Whorls

The reproductive parts of a flower directly concerned with reproduction, consisting of the stamens and the carpels.

Non-essential Whorls

Accessory parts that protect reproductive structures or attract pollinators, including the sepals and petals.

Tepals

Floral structures that occur when sepals and petals look similar and cannot be differentiated from one another.

Perianth

The collective name for tepals; it is described as sepaloid when green and petaloid when non-green.

Bract

A leaf-like structure in whose axil a flower arises, which may be green or brightly coloured like in Bougainvillea.

Nectaries

Groups of nectar-secreting cells situated at the base of the pistil or petals that produce a sweet liquid to attract insects.

Bisexual or Hermaphrodite Flower

A flower that contains both stamens and carpels, such as hibiscus, rose, lily, and tomato.

Unisexual or Imperfect Flower

A flower containing only stamens (staminate flower) or only carpels (pistillate flower), such as papaya and palm.

Neuter Flower

A flower in which both male and female reproductive organs are lacking, such as the ray florets of sunflower.

Epicalyx

A second series of sepals, also called episepals, found in flowers like Hibiscus.

Polysepalous and Polypetalous

Terms used to describe a flower where sepals or petals, respectively, are free.

Gamosepalous and Gamopetalous

Terms used to describe a flower where sepals or petals, respectively, are fused or united.

Stamen

The male unit of the flower consisting of a long filament and a bilobed anther that contains pollen grains.

Monadelphous

A condition where stamens are united in one group by their filaments, such as in china rose.

Diadelphous

A condition where stamen filaments are united in two bundles, typical of the pea plant.

Polyadelphous

A condition where stamen filaments are united in several groups, such as in Bombax.

Stigma

The terminal knob-like part of the carpel that serves as the landing place for pollen during pollination.

Locules

The chambers within the ovary that contain the rounded bodies called ovules.

Placenta

The tissue that attaches the ovules to the wall of the ovary.

Monoecious Plants

Plants where male and female flowers grow on the same plant, such as maize, cucumber, and pumpkin.

Dioecious Plants

Plants where male and female flowers grow on different plants, such as palm and papaya.

Inflorescence

The mode of arrangement and distribution of flowers on the axis of a plant.

Placentation

The manner in which the ovules are arranged or attached to the wall of the ovary.