Types of inflorescences

...

THE PLANTS:

LEAVES

STEMS AND BUDS

FRUITS

ROOTS

SEEDS

GLOSSARY

THE FLOWER: INFLORESCENCES

Flowers do not appear solitary in a stem. They are generally arranged in a fixed pattern we call inflorescence. Flowers included in the inflorescence are generally called florets. Inflorescences can be:

Single: when all the flowers are gathered in the same single pattern.

Compound: when a complex pattern is made of another single patterns.

MAIN SINGLE INFLORESCENCES:

Raceme

Spike

Corymb

Umbel

Head

In racemes florets are attached along a floral peduncle with stems similar in length. Young florets appear above and old ones below.

Spikes are inflorescences similar to racemes, but florets are attached directly to the floral peduncle,without stems.

(see image of a spike -Mint - Menta rotundifolia )

In corymbs. all the florets are arranged along a floral peduncle but , differently to racemes, stems have different length in such a way that all the florets appear at the same flat round level.

In umbels florets arise from the same point of the peduncle.

In heads florets bearing no stem are gathered together on a platform-shaped peduncle. This is the inflorescence characteristic in the daisy family.

(See image of a head - Milkthistle-Sylibum Marianum)

MAIN COMPOUND INFLORESCENCES

Panicle

Compound umbel

Panicles are formed by several racemes gathered together.

Compound umbels are formed by several umbels gathered together.

Choose the correct answer:

Which kind of inflorescence this daisy is?

- An umbel.

- A head.

- A spike.

The flower above is an inflorescence...

- Compound?

- Special?

-Single?