AS

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

Course Logistics

  • News and Notes: Discuss Poster Project; Exam 1 is Sept ext{-}15 ext{-}18; schedule this week if not already.

  • Extended office hours this Friday (9/12): 1:00–3:00 PM; No office hours on Monday 9/15.

Common Parts of a Plant

  • Basic parts: Stem, Roots, Leaves, Seeds, Flowers, Fruit

  • Flowers are key for classification of flowering plants; not all plants produce flowers (Angiosperms vs Gymnosperms).

Flower Fundamentals

  • Functions: Sexual reproduction; attract pollinators; develop into fruit and seed after pollination.

  • Inflorescence: clusters of single flowers on a stem.

Parts of a Typical Flower

  • Stamen: Anther, Filament

  • Carpel: Stigma, Style, Ovary

  • Petal

  • Stigma, Style, Ovary (Carpel)

  • Receptacles

  • Sepal

Flower Anatomy: Carpel

  • Female reproductive organ; collectively the gynoecium.

  • Carpel consists of three structures: Stigma, Style, Ovary.

  • Pistil = one or more carpels.

Flower Anatomy: Stamen

  • Male reproductive organ; collectively the androecium.

  • Stamen consists of two structures: Filament, Anther.

Flower Anatomy: Sepal

  • Outer parts of the flower enclosing a developing bud; usually green and leaf-like.

  • All sepals of a flower are collectively called a calyx.

Flower Anatomy: Pedicel and Receptacle

  • Pedicel: flower stalk.

  • Receptacle: the part of the flower stalk where parts attach to the pedicel.

Flower Anatomy: Petals

  • Showiest part of the flower; collectively called the corolla.

  • Attract pollinators via color/fragrance; variation in size, shape, texture, symmetry.

Four Whorls of a Flower

  • Calyx (sepals)

  • Corolla (petals)

  • Stamens (androecium)

  • Carpels (gynoecium)

Types of Flowers

  • Complete: all four whorls present; 4 whorls.

  • Perfect: both stamens and pistil present.

  • Imperfect: missing either stamen or pistil.

  • Staminate: male flowers (♂)

  • Pistillate: female flowers (♀)

  • Incomplete: missing one or more whorls.

Plant Sexes

  • Hermaphrodites: flowers contain both male and female structures.

  • Monoecious: male and female reproductive structures on the same plant.

    • Examples: oaks, cucumber, walnut, pecan, chestnut

  • Dioecious: male and female structures on separate plants.

    • Examples: date ext{ palm}, holly, pistachio, persimmon, hemp

    • Important: requires both sexes for pollination and fruit production.

Monoecious Species Details

  • Male and female flowers can be on the same individual; may be perfect or imperfect; two patterns possible.

Dioecious Species Details

  • Both male and female plants needed for pollination; more than one plant required.

Flower Patterns

  • Monocots: floral structures in 3s.

  • Dicots: floral structures in 4–5s.

Flowers to Fruit

  • Pollen from a male fertilizes ovule of a female, forming seeds and fruit tissue.

Fruit

  • The ripened ovary of a flower, with seeds inside.

  • Functions: surround/protect seeds; aid in seed dispersal.

Parts of a Fruit

  • Exocarp (skin)

  • Mesocarp

  • Endocarp

  • Note: some diagrams refer to skin as exocarp; edible portions vary by fruit.

Types of Fruits: Simple

  • Formed from one ovary (carpel) of a single flower.

  • Ovary wall ripens into a fruit; can be fleshy or dry when mature.

  • Most simple fruits are considered berries (in common usage).

  • Subtypes: True Berry, Hesperidium, Drupe.

Types of Fruits: Aggregate

  • Formed from multiple ripened ovaries (carpels) present in one flower.

  • As they mature, individual fruitlets join to form a single fruit.

Types of Fruits: Multiple

  • Formed from ripened ovaries of multiple flowers that fuse into one structure.

  • Pericarps coalesce into one large multiple fruit.

Types of Fruits: Accessory

  • Contains tissue derived from plant parts other than the ovary; called a "false fruit".

  • Hypanthium adheres to outside of the ovary wall.

  • Examples: apples, pears; the edible core is ovarian tissue.

Quick Fruit Type Examples

  • Banana: parthenocarpic fruit (develops without fertilization).

  • Blackberry: aggregate fruit.

  • Avocado: simple berry.

  • Strawberry: edible part is receptacle; botanical fruit is an achene.

  • Tomato: botanically a berry.

Parthenocarpy

  • Ovary develops into fruit without fertilization.

  • Occurs naturally or via artificial methods.

  • Advantage: no reliance on pollinators; often longer shelf life and consumer appeal.

  • Examples: pineapple, banana, cucumber, grape, watermelon, orange, grapefruit

Seeds

  • Embryo, Endosperm, Seed coat.

  • Monocot vs Dicot embryo:

    • Monocot: typically one cotyledon; endosperm often present.

    • Dicot: typically two cotyledons; endosperm may be absorbed.

  • Cotyledons: seed leaves; essential for early seedling nutrition.

    • Monocot: 1 cotyledon

    • Dicot: 2 cotyledons

Recap: Monocots vs Dicots

  • Common Name: Monocot – grasses, palms, bamboo; Dicot – broadleaf.

  • Vascular Tissue: Monocot – random vascular bundles; Dicot – vascular cambium present.

  • Stems: Monocot – no growth rings; Dicot – growth rings/cork cambium (bark).

  • Leaves: Monocot – parallel venation; Dicot – reticulate venation.

  • Flowers: Monocot – structures in 3s; Dicot – structures in 4–5s.

  • Seed: Monocot – 1 cotyledon; Dicot – 2 cotyledons.

Learning Objectives (Quick Reference)

  • Understand function and anatomy of flowers, fruits, and seeds.

  • Recognize the horticultural importance of flowers beyond ornamentality.

  • Be able to label flower parts and identify the 4 whorls, and perfect/imperfect classifications.

  • Understand monoecious vs dioecious plants and their horticultural implications.

  • Identify major fruit types and give examples.

  • Recommended Reading: Chapter 3.8–3.10