Remedial Biology 2.44 Morphology of Flowering Plants. 4. Sugar Cane stems are used as source of sucrose while latex from stems of Hevea- brazilansis is used as Rubber. 5. Woods from stems of several plants are used as drugs like Quassia, Guaicum, Sandal Wood etc. 6. The stems of several plants are injured to produce gums for their multiple industrial uses like Gum-acacia, Gum-tragacanth, Gum-sturculia etc. 7. Following are the few stems commercially used as drugs either directly or after making incisions. Sr. No. Scientific Name Constituents Uses 1. Ephedra gerardiana Ephedrine alkaloid Expectorant z Pinus-species Turpentine oil Counter irritant 2 Myroxylon balsamum Balsamic acids, volatile oil. Flavour (Balsam of Tolu) 4. Liquidamber orientalis Resinous balsam Stimulant (Balsam of Peru) 5. Cinchona succirubra Quinine, Quinidine Antimalarial cinchonine alkaloids 2.1.3 Inflorescence The form of natural bunch of flowers in which they occur is called Inflorescence. Plant bear flowers either solitary or in groups. The flowers which are large and showy are normally borne solitary, but which are not so prominent and are small, occur in group or bunches. Depending upon the type of branching various forms of inflorescences are known. The axis on which the flowers are arranged is known as peduncle while the stalks of flowers are known as pedicels. Following are the types of inflorescences: Types of Inflorescences: Inflorescences Racemose Cymose Special cymose 1. Raceme 1. Solitary 1. Hypanthodium mustard, radish Datura Ficus, fig 2. Spike 2, Uniparous 2. Verticillaster Adhatoda, terminalia (a) Scorpoid cotton Ocimum, mentha (b) Helicoid Egonia Contd...=. Remedial Biology 242 Morphology of Flowering Py 3. Spikelet or Locusta 3. Bicarpous 3. Cyathium Wheat, Rice Dianthus Castor, euphorbia 4. Catkin 4. Multiparous Mulberry, oak Calatropis, Nerium 5. Spadix Banana, palms 6. Corymb Cassia, cherry 7. Umbel Camin, fennel 8. Capitate Acacia, albizzia 9. Capitulum or Head Tridax, sunflower (A) Racemose or Indefinite Inflorescence: 1. Raceme: In this type of inflorescence, the peduncle is long. Flowers are stalked and born in acropetal succession and peduncle has indefinite growth and goes on producing flowers as in mustard, radish, dwarf-gold mohor etc. When the main axis is branched and the lateral branches bear the flowers it is said to be Compound raceme or panicle or branched raceme as in Gul-mohor, peltophorum, yuchr etc. (a) Solitary flower of China-rose (b) Raceme dwarf Gold-mohar Fig. 2.16 2. Spike: This is similar to raceme, with sessile flowers as in rangoon creeper, Vasil? A branched spike of polyanthes and Terminalia species is known. 3. Spadix: In this inflorescence, the peduncle is short with numerous small unise™ flowers, which are sessile and covered with boat shaped bract known as Spathe ie, Band™ arum, palms and Coconut are the examples of compound spadix.Remedial Blology 2.43 Morphology of Flowering Plants (a) Raceme (b) Spike (©) Spadix Fig. 2.17: Types of Inflorescence 4. Catkin: A spike with unisexual sessile flowers on long peduncle as in mulberry and oak. 5. Umbel: Axis is shortened and bears flowers at its top which are having equal stalk and arranged in: centripetal succession. A whorl of bracts is present at the base of inflorescence as in Coriander, caraway, cumin, fennel etc. Fig. 2.18: Umbel inflorescence of Coriander 6. Spikelet: It is present in family Graminae characterised by small and branched spikes. Spikelets are provided with two bracts at the base known as glumes, and bractiole called palea. 7. Corymb: Peduncle is short, flowers bracteate, bisexual oldest flower is lower most and youngest at apex. Lowermost has longest stack and youngest has shortest, lying at same level,ogy of Flowerin, ‘i 14 Morphology 9 Plants temedi lology d expanded peduncl Present, callag lowers aré small and sessig ntre they are younger ang shaped) and disc-floret, flattened ant .d with bracts. The fi Ider, while at the ce! 8. Capitulum or Head: In this type as receptacle. Base of receptacle is covere (florets). Flowers towards the periphery are ol os trap open later. Two types of flowers are present: \© ray-florets (strap (tubular-shaped); examples are zinnia, cosmos, sunflower. 9. Capitate: Inflorescence similar to umbel type, ite. Acacia. . A (8) Cymose Inflorescence: In this type, the growth of the main axis OF peduncle is stopped by producing the flower. The order of opening is centrifugal. Its types are as under 1. Solitary cyme: In this type, the inflorescence ends in a single flower as in Datura capsicum, china rose. 2. Uniparous or monochasial cyme: In this type, axis ends ina flower only, one branch arises just behind it and also ends in a flower. Uniparous depending upon the type of branching is again subdivided into two: (a) Hellicoid uniparous and (b) Scorpioid uniparous. Hellicoid uniparous is characterised by branching on one side only while scorpioid uniparous cyme by branching on alternate side. except the flowers are sessile (a) Uniparous scorpioid cyme (b) Uniparous helicoid cyme Fig, 2.19: Cymose inflorescence a Biparoug, or Dichasial ye: This type of inflorescence is characterised by the endo! main axis in a flower, which is followed by two lateral branches ending in flowers 29@" ‘Actually this is a true cyme asin case of Ixora, teak, jasmine, Begonia, hametia, arosera and solanum species are examples of the first type, wil crassula and freesia are examples of the latter type. iRemedial Biology 2.45 Morphology of Flowering Plants Fig. 2.20: Biparous Cyme 4, Multiparous or Polychasial: The main axis ends in a flower and number of flowers are produced laterally in the same manner, i.e. in Nerium; Calotropis, etc. 5. Special type: In this type, hypanthodium (like peepal and_ fig) verticillaster (sacred basil, mentha, coleus blumi) cymose-umbel (onion) are included. Each of them have its special characters not covered in any type described above. 2.1.4 Flowers The flower is actually a modified shoot meant for production of seeds: It consists of four different circles (whorls) arranged in a definite manner. A flower is built-up on stem or pedicel with the enlarged end known as thalamus or receptacle. The four whorls of the flowers can be described as under: 1. Calyx: It is the outermost whorl of flower and is generally green in colour, the individual member of which is called sepal. 2. Corolla: It is the second whorl of flower and is either white or bright coloured, each member of which is known as petal. 3. Androecium: It is the third circle of flower and constitutes the male part. The individual component is called stamen and each stamen consists of filament, anther and connective. 4. Gynoecium: This is the fourth circle of the flower and constitutes the female part. Each component is known as carpel or pistil and is made of stigma, style and ovary. When all the four whorls are present in a single flower, it is described to be a complete flower, absence of any one of them describes it as incomplete flower. A flower is described to be hermaphrodite or bisexual when it contains stamens and carpels. Absence of any one of them describes it as unisexual flower. When calyx and corolla in a flower are similar in colour 8nd shape then both of them (calyx and corolla) together are called Perianth i.e. garlic, onion, speragus, eeRemedial Biology Morphology of Flowering Pay Filament Ovar Sepa Fig, 2.21: Typical parts of flower Types of Flowers: When a flower is divided into two equal parts by any vertical section passing throught actinomorphic flower as in ipomoe, centre, then it is described as regular or symmetrical or rose, datura and shoe-flower. But when it cannot be divided equally into two parts by or vertical section then it is described as irregular or asymmetrical or zygomorphic flower. When the stamens arise from petals instead of thalamus, the petals are called epipetalous. When the stamens get united with gynaecium the structure is known gynastemium. The union of stamens among themselves is known as cohesion. When the filaments of stamen get united to form a single bundle it is known as Monoadelphous. When it forms two bundles it is known as diadelphous. When anthers get united to form a column (but filaments are free) the stamens are known as syngenesious. Fig, 2.22: Actinomorphic flower _Fig, 2.23: Zygomorphic flower When ovary consists of only one carpel it is said to be monocarpellary and whe? it om more than one carpel it is said to be polycarpellary. When the carpels in ovary ate ree, the ovary is described as apocarpous and when they are united it is known ® syncarpous.Remedial Blology 247 Morphology of Flowering Plants Arrangement of Floral Parts on Thalamus: Depending upon the arrangement of floral parts on thalamus, the flowers may be of three types. () Hypogynous flower (Superior ovary): Herein the thalamus is conical, flat, convex and stamens, sepals and petals are arranged at base and ovary at the apex. Examples: Brinjal, china rose, mustard etc. Fig. 2.24: Superior ovary in Hypogynous flower (ii) Perigynous flowers (Half-superior Ovary): Thalamus is flat, sepals and stamens grow around the ovary. The flowers are said to be perigynous as in Rose, Strawberry peach. (a) Half-Superior Ovary (b) Inferior Ovary Fig. 2.25: Arrangement of floral parts (iii) Epigynous flower (Inferior-ovary): The thalamus is fused with ovary wall, calyx, Corolla, stamen appear at the top and the gynaecium at the bottom as in Sunflower, Cucumber, apple etc.y Remedial Biology 2.18 Morphology of Fowerng Py Placentation: The type of distribution of placentae in the ovary is called placentation. They are of " following types: 1. Marginal: It is characteristic to monocarpellary ovary and placentae arise on Venty Suture, e.g. bean and pea. 2. Axile: It is characteristic to polycarpellary syncarpous, bilocular or multilocular Ventral sutures of each carpel meet at the centre and each of them have Marging placentation. Examples are Onion, china rose, ipomoea. 3. Parietal: It is characteristic to polycarpellary syncarpous ovary and the placenty develop on the ventral suture but the ovary is unilocular as in papaya and cucurbito, 4. Basal: It is characteristic to polycarpellary and unilocular ovary. Only one ovule§ present and it arises from its base as in sunflower. 5. Free Central: It is characteristic to polycarpellary syncarpous ovary which « unilocular. Ovules arise on the central axis but it is not connected with the peripherd wall. Examples are Dianthus, saponaria, portulacca. 2@o 6 (@) Marginal (b) Axile (©) Parietal (d) Free central {e) Basal Fig. 2.26: Types of placentation 2.1.5 Leaves Leaves are flat, thin green appendages to the stem, containing supporting Ca conducting strands in their structure. They develop in such a way that older leaves are P! at the base while the younger ones at the apex. 1. Atypical angiospermic leaf consists of the following parts: (@) Leaf base or hypopodium by means of which it is attached to the stem. (b) Petiole: It is the stalk of leaf with which leaf-blade is attached to the stem. It known as mesopodium. It may be present in leaf or may be absent in leaf. Leaves with fl are called petiolate while those without petiole, are called sessile. They may be short 0"! and cylindrical. Sometimes, it is flattened as in the case of lemon. Then it is desct ‘i winged-petiole. In some plants, the petiole undergoes modification to form the ter! 4 petiole which help the plant to climb. Example, clematis. In few aquatic plants, it enlar9 LY