Botany 111.

1 Plant Morphoanatomy and Diversity Laboratory

EXERCISE 7
THE FLOWER

INTRODUCTION

The flower is the most private part of the plant since the reproductive structures are hidden in it. The flower
is the main basis in plant identification and classification in traditional taxonomic methods. And in fact, even
up to this time, the flower is still very important to taxonomy and nomenclature. Hence, familiarizing its
complex parts and variations is a must for a beginner.

MATERIALS

Flower and/ or inflorescence of the following:

Gladiolus Euphorbia pulcherrima Tridax procumbens
Clivia miniata Rosa Cosmos caudatus
Foeniculum vulgare Any Poaceae flower
Tithonia diversifolia Any orchid flower Prepared slides of the ff:
Phaseolus vulgaris Hydrangea macrophylla Lily ovary general structure x.s.
Pisum sativum Callistemon citrinus Lily anther with mature pollen grains
Anthurium andraeanum Daucus carota
Hibiscus rosa-sinensis Althaea rosa
Zantedeschia aethiopica Dahlia

External Morphology

Lab Work 1.
A. Examine the specimens. You may use the supplementary material provided. Classify the flowers
whether its regular or irregular, complete or incomplete. Observe and note the different variation in
floral parts. Record your observations in Table 1.
Table 1. Variation in flowers and floral parts.
Scientific Regular/ Complete/ Calyx Corolla Stamen Pistil
name Irregular Incomplete
1.
2.
3.

1. Types of flowers
a. According to symmetry
i. Symmetrical – the floral organs are the same in number
a) Actinomorphic – the floral parts are radially symmetrical, e.g. an imaginary line
drawn through the middle along any plane will produce a mirror image.
b) Zygomorphic – bilaterally symmetrical, e.g. an imaginary line drawn at the middle
(antero-posterior plane) will produce a mirror image of the other.
ii. Asymmetrical – when there is variation from the standard number in one or more sets or
organs
b. According to the presence or absence of floral parts
i. Complete – when all four whorls, the calyx, corolla, gynoecium and androecium are present.
Exercise 7. The Flower
ii. Incomplete – when one or two of the whorls is/ are lacking.
iii. Perfect or bisexual or hermaphrodite – when a flower contains both stamen and pistil.
iv. Imperfect or unisexual – if either the male or the female is absent.
v. Pistillate flowers – when only the pistil is present in a flower.
vi. Staminate flowers – when only the stamen is present.

Review of flower parts:

• Androecium – a collective term for the stamens or the male parts of the flower.
• Calyx – a collective term for the sepals and is usually located next to the bracts, if the bracts are
present. It is usually green in color.
• Corolla – the inner whorl in a flower, a collective term for the petals.

• Floral envelope - a collective term for the calyx and corolla.

• Gynoecium – a collective term for the pistils.
• Involucre – a collective term for the bracts, if present, it composes the outermost whorl in a flower
• Nectary – a tissue that produces or contains nectar.
• Pedicel – the stalk of a single flower.
• Perianth – the collective term for the calyx and corolla especially when they are similar in appearance.
• Petal – an individual member of the corolla. It functions for the attraction of pollinating agents. These
are usually conspicuous and brightly colored.
• Pistil – the female reproductive organ of the flower. It has the following parts; the ovary, which is the
swollen basal portion. The ovary contains the ovules which after fertilization, become the seeds; the
style, or the stalk of the pistil. The stigma receives the pollen grains during pollination.
• Receptacle, torus, hypanthium, floral cup – the enlarged part of the pedicel where the floral parts are
attached. This is a characteristic of hypogynous and perigynous flowers.
• Sepal – the individual member of the calyx. They form the whorl next to the involucre when present.
• Stamen – the male reproductive part of a flower. It consists of a stalk called filament that bears the
anther at the tip. The anther bears the pollen grains.
• Tepal – an undifferentiated part of the perianth or a term to apply if the perianth parts are not
differentiated into petal or sepal.
c. According to the insertion of the different floral parts relative to the position of the ovary
• Epigynous – the sepals, petals and stamens are seemingly attached on top of an inferior
ovary. The floral parts are actually on the upper part of the hypanthium.
• Hypogynous – the calyx, petals and stamens are attached to the receptacle on the base of
a superior ovary.
• Perigynous – the perianth and stamens are attached half-way to the ovary forming a cup-
like structure called hypanthium, or floral cup or receptacle.

2. Fusion of floral parts

a. Adnate or adherent – when members of a set are more or less united with those of another set, i.e.
stamen-petal
b. Connate – when the same set of organs are fused or united, i.e. petal-petal
c. Distinct or free – the floral parts are not in any way united or fused.
d. Imbricate – when the sepals or petals overlap each other at their margins.
e. Valvate – when the sepals or petals touch at their margins.
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Exercise 7. The Flower
f. Wanting – when a part is lacking or absent.
3. Variation in the calyx
a. Claw – the narrowed base in some sepals and petals.
b. Distinct – the sepals are separate, not united.
c. Nerve – these are the veins present in sepals, petals or bracts.
d. Pappus – these are bristles or scales in some fruits which represents the persistent calyx.
e. Polysepalous or chorisepalous – when the sepals are free or separate.
f. Scabrous – when sepals are rough to touch.
g. Tubular – when the sepals are united except at the toothed margins.
4. Variation in the corolla
a. Apetalous – without petals; sometimes the petals are reduced into inconspicuous scales.
b. Bilabiate – when the united corolla becomes two-lipped at the rim.
c. Campanulate – when the united corolla assumes the shape of a bell.
d. Funnel-shaped or funnelform – when the corolla tube gradually expands upward like that of a
funnel.
e. Gamopetalous or sympetalous – when the sepals are united at their margins forming a corolla tube.
Parts of gamopetalous flower
• Corolla tube – the contracted part of the flower.
• Corolla limb or corolla lobe – the expanded part f the petal; this term may also refer to the
expanded part of a sympetalous corolla.
• Throat – the junction between the tube and corolla lobe.
f. Ligulate or strap-shaped – (this term is usually applied to family Asteraceae), the base of a short
tube opening out into an elongated, flat, strap-like appendage.
g. Ligule – a flattened part of a ray corolla.
h. Lip – these are projections in a two-lipped bilabiate corolla of an irregular flower.
i. Papilionaceous – irregular flowers of family Fabaceae. The shape resembles that of a butterfly
Parts of a papilionaceous flower:
• Keel – the 2 lower and usually smaller petals.
• Standard or vexillum – the largest upper and outer petal.
• Wings – the 2 lateral parts
j. Plicate – when the petals are folded in longitudinal plaits.
k. Polypetalous or choripetalous – when the petals are distinct or free.
l. Rotate or stellate – the petals are wheel-shaped, the lobes radiate from the base.
m. Salvershape – the corolla tube is elongated and the short corolla limb spreads horizontally.
n. Spur – a protruding structure of the corolla or calyx.
o. Tubular – when the corolla tube is elongated, the size is almost uniform throughout the tube.
p. Urceolate – when the corolla is shaped like an urn.
5. Variation in the androecium
a. Androphore – the stalk of a group of stamens.
b. Anemophilous – these are wind-pollinated plants.
c. Basifixed – when the anther is attached to the base.
d. Connective – the part of the stamen that connects two pollen sacs in the anther.
e. Diadelphous – when the filaments of several anthers are united into 2 clusters.
f. Diandrous – having 2 stamens.
g. Didynamous – when there are 4 stamens, the 2 pairs are of unequal length.
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Exercise 7. The Flower
h. Dorsifixed – when the filaments appear to be attached to the side or back of the anther.
i. Entomophilous – when the flower is insect-pollinated.
j. Epipetalous – when the stamens are attached to the petals.
k. Exserted – when the stamens extend beyond the perianth.
l. Extrorse – when the anther is turned outward. i.e. the anther faces the periphery of the flower.
m. Filament – the stalk of the anther.
n. Included – when the stamens are confined inside the corolla.
o. Introrse – when the stamens are turned inward, e.g. the stamens facing the center.
p. Monadelphous – the stamens are united by their filaments.
q. Monandrous – having one stamen.
r. Pollinium – a mass of waxy pollen grains. This is a characteristic of most orchids.
s. Sessile – when the filament is absent.
t. Staminal column or tube – when the filaments are united forming a tube.
u. Staminode – a sterile stamen, it may be reduced in size.
v. Syngenacious – when the anthers are united and the filaments are free
w. Tetradynamous – when there are six stamens, the two are shorter than the four stamens.
x. Versatile – when the anther is attached near the middle to the tip of the filament.
6. Variation in the gynoecium
a. Androgynophore – a common stalk supporting the androecium and gynoecium.
b. Apocarpous – one or more separate pistils.
c. Carpel – a simple pistil.
d. Cell or locule – a hollow cavity; it also refers to the chambers in an ovary.
e. Compound pistil – when 2 or more pistils are united.
f. Funiculus – the stalk of the ovule.
g. Gynophore – the elongated stalk which bears the pistil.
h. Half superior/ half inferior ovary – when the floral parts are attached midway on the ovary.
i. Inferior ovary – when all the floral parts are attached above the ovary.
j. Micropyle – the minute opening in the ovule where the pollen tube enters during fertilization.
k. Nucellus – a region around the embryo sac, the latter commonly called the sporangium.
l. Ovary – the expanded basal part of the pistil that contains the ovules.
m. Ovule – these are rounded structures inside the ovary which becomes the seeds after fertilization.
n. Placenta – a part of the ovary where the ovules are attached.
o. Polycarpous – having many carpels.
p. Polygynous – having many pistils or styles.
q. Sessile – when the style is wanting or absent.
r. Septum (septa) – the inferior walls separating the locules into 2 or more – loculed ovary.
s. Simple pistil – a pistil with one-celled ovary bearing a single ovule or row of ovules.
t. Stigma – the anterior most part of the pistil that receives the pollen.
u. Style – the stalk of the pistil.
v. Superior ovary – when the floral parts are attached below the ovary.
w. Syncarpous – a compound pistil.
7. Variation in the ovule
a. Amphitropous or half-inverted – an ovule that is half-inverted; when the developing ovule turns
90° on its funiculus.

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Exercise 7. The Flower
b. Anatropous or inverted – and ovule that is inverted, the ovule has turned 180° during its
development so that the micropyle is situated next to the funiculus.
c. Campylotropous or incurved –when the ovule is curved and the micropyle nearly meets the
funiculus.
d. Orthotropous or straight – an ovule that is straight and erect.
8. Types of placentation – placentation is the arrangement of the ovules in the ovary.
There are five main kinds of placentation although there may be variation of the five types.
a. Axile – when the ovules are attached to the center or axis of the ovary, the locules from several to
many.
b. Basal – when the central stalk is absent and the ovules are attached at the basal part or floor of the
ovary, the ovary has one locule or unilocular.
c. Free-central – when the ovules are attached to a central stalk in a unilocular ovary.
d. Marginal or ventral – when the ovules are attached at the margins of the ovary.
e. Parietal - when the ovules are attached to the walls of the ovary, the locules from few to many

B. Observe your specimen, note the variation in the inflorescences, the cluster of flowers, using the guide
below. After you have examined the inflorescence of several specimens, complete Table 2.
Table 2. Types of inflorescence.
Scientific name Type of inflorescence Variation according to Variation according to the
location arrangement of flowers
1.
2.
3.

1. General types of inflorescence

a. Determinate inflorescence – an inflorescence in which the oldest flower is found at the terminal
part of the main axis and the general progression of blooming is outward.
b. Indeterminate inflorescence – an inflorescence in which the youngest flower is terminal on the floral
axis and the progression of blooming is inward.
2. Variation in inflorescence according to location
a. Axillary – when the individual flowers are borne at the axil of the leaves.
b. Cauline – when the flowers are attached on the stem below the leaves.
c. Extra-axillary – when the flowers are attached at the internodes.
d. Leaf-opposed – when the flowers are opposite a leaf.
e. Radical – when the flowers are attached to the roots by a long stalk called the scape.
f. Terminal – when an inflorescence terminates a branch.
g. Fascicle or fasciculate – the flowers are clustered in the axil of leaves. The flowers maybe pedicelled
or sessile.
3. Variation in inflorescence according to the arrangement of flowers
a. Catkin or ament – a short or long, usually dense, scaly spike. It is pendulous and deciduous.
b. Corymb or corymbose – an indeterminate inflorescence where the branches and pedicels all start from
different points and attain the same level. The lower pedicels are longer than the upper ones. The
inflorescence has a flat top appearance, the outer flowers open first before the central flowers.
c. Cyathium – this is a characteristic of Euphorbia where the inflorescence consists of a cup-like involucre
that contains a single pistil and make flowers with a single stamen.
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Exercise 7. The Flower
d. Cyme or cymose – very similar to corymb, but the inner flowers open first. A determinate inflorescence
e. Head, capitate, capitulum or disk – when the flowers are sessile and are crowded in a globose mass.
f. Panicle or paniculate – a branched, racemose inflorescence.
g. Raceme or racemose – similar to a spike, but the flowers are pedicelled.
h. Spadix – an inflorescence consisting of fleshy central column bearing numerous stamens above and
pistils below. A bract subtends the pistil and stamen.
i. Spike or spikelet – an unbranched, elongated inflorescence with sessile flowers.
j. Thyrse – similar to a panicle but more congested and more or less cylindrical.
k. Umbel or umbellate – an inflorescence with several pedicelled flowers attached at the same point on
top of the stem.

C. Select 5 flowers from your specimens and determine its floral formula. Sketch the floral diagrams of
each.
The floral formula is used to describe graphically the morphology of flowering plants. A floral diagram
is a representation of the different floral features of plants as they appear in cross section.

Symbols are used to represent the different floral parts (CA for calyx, CO for corolla, A for androecium,
and G for gynoecium). Numbers of each flower part will follow the respective symbol. The number will
be encircled if the parts are united or fused and is left open if otherwise. If the ovary is inferior,
underline G, put a line above G if the ovary is superior.

Floral formulas and diagrams have their value in taxonomic identification because they provide
important information about the flower, the main basis of taxonomic identification as established by
Linnaeus.

Internal Morphology
Lab Work 2.
Traditionally, the genus Lilium has been used to represent the typical flowering plant reproductive cycle. The
structures are large, and the material is easily obtained.
1. Obtain a slide of Lily ovary, x.s.
2. Locate the ovary wall, locules, ovules, and the nucellus and integument of the ovules. In the nucellar
region will be found the relatively massive megaspore mother cell.
3. Obtain a prepared slide of Lily anther with mature pollen grains.
4. Note the appearance of the microspore mother cells and the surrounding tapetal tissue.

QUESTIONS
1. Why do flowers develop into clusters? Is there any taxonomic significance?
2. What advantage(s) if any, do flower clusters have over that of single flowers?
3. Why do you think Linnaeus considered the flower as the most reliable basis for plant identification?

References:
Balangcod T.D. and Buot I.E. Jr. (2011). Plant Taxonomy: A Laboratory Manual (A Revised
Edition). Philippine Society for the Study of Nature. 109 pp.
Vascular Plant Morphology (n.d.). Laboratory 12. Flowering plants, The Angiosperms. Retrieved from
https://www.ohio.edu/plantbio/staff/rothwell/pbio308508/Lab-12_Flowering_Plants.pdf