Morphology of Flowering Plants

This placentation involves the presence of multicarpellary, syncarpous and unilocular gynoecium. The ovules are borne on a central column arising from the base. For example, Portulacaceae and Primulaceae.

These are bone-like or columnar with swollen ends. For example: Sub-epidermal covering of legume seeds.

The tendrils develop from the apex of the developing leaf, as in Gloriosa. This type of leaf apex is known as the cirrhose.

Anthropophily is pollination performed by humans. It is usually artificial pollination and is used in hybridization techniques.

New species are not produced due to self pollination. Progeny shows less vigor due to continuous self pollination. New characters are not introduced.

A cleistogamous flower is usually smaller and requires less energy to produce. It is also structured to bring its reproductive organs into contact, making it more likely that fertilisation will be successful.

An umbel is an inflorescence which consists of a number of short flower stalks which spread from a common point, somewhat like umbrella ribs. These are characteristics of plants such as carrot, parsley, dill and fennel.

The pollen tube does not reach the ovary in a straight line. The pollen tube grows near the style and curls to the bottom of the ovary and then near the receptacle. The pollen tube then breaks into the ovule through the micropyle and then the micropyle bursts into the embryo sac.

Adventitious embryony is a type of agamospermy where there is no development of gametophytes. The embryo is formed from cells of the diploid sporophyte like the integument.

Development of fruits happen by pollination but in some plants the embryo is aborted before developing into a seed. In parthenocarpy, seedlessness does not involve fertilization. Through stenospermocarpy, seedlessness can happen even after fertilization. Here, the embryo is aborted later after fruit formation by pollination. Examples of fruits with stenospermocarpy are Thompson and Flame seedless grapes.

The filaments of stamens are fused to form one bundle, while anthers remain free, e.g. Hibiscus, Abutilon, etc.

In this case, the filaments fuse with petals, e.g. Brinjal and Datura.

Here the growth of the peduncle is definite because it terminates in a flower. Below this flower, two branches develop laterally in the axis of opposite bracts. These branches also end in flowers. There is no further growth of the inflorescence.

Parenchyma cells helps in the formation of adventitious buds, it aids in the water storage in succulent plants.

Sclerenchyma are simple tissue meant for the mechanical function. It is thick walled and lignified and is characterized by the absence of living protoplasm. The sclerencyma gives mechanical strength to the plant organ, firmness and stiffness to the part of the plant where it is present.