Morphology of flowering plants

PARTS OF A FLOWERING PLANT

• Angiosperms show a large diversity in external structure or
morphology.
• All angiosperms are characterised by presence of roots, stems,
leaves, flowers and fruits.

THE ROOT
• The underground part of the flowering plant is the root system.
Taproot system in dicots
• In majority of the dicotyledonous plants, the direct elongation of the
radicle leads to the formation of primary root which grows inside the
soil.
• It bears lateral roots of several orders that are referred to as
secondary, tertiary, etc. roots.
• The primary roots and its branches constitute the tap root system.
• Example - Mustard plant
Fibrous root system
• In monocotyledonous plants, the primary root is short lived and is replaced by a large number of roots.
• These roots originate from the base of the stem and constitute the fibrous root system.
Example - Wheat plant
Adventitious roots
• Roots that arise from parts of the plant other than the radicle and are called adventitious roots.
Example - some plants, like grass, Monstera and the banyan tree
Functions of root system
• Absorption of water and minerals from the soil
• Providing a proper anchorage to the plant parts
• Storing reserve food material
• Synthesis of plant growth regulators
 REGIONS OF THE ROOT

Root cap- The root is covered at the apex by a thimble-like structure

called the root cap . It protects the tender apex of the root as it
makes its way through the soil.
Region of meristematic activity - A few millimetres above the root
cap is the region of meristematic activity. The cells of this region are
very small, thin-walled and with dense protoplasm. They divide
repeatedly.
Region of elongation - The cells proximal to this region undergo
rapid elongation and enlargement and are responsible for the
growth of the root in length. This region is called the region of
elongation. The cells of the elongation zone gradually differentiate
and mature.
Region of maturation – The zone, proximal to region of elongation,
is called the region of maturation. From this region some of the
epidermal cells form very fine and delicate, thread-like structures
called root hairs. These root hairs absorb water and minerals from
the soil.
 STEM
• Ascending part of the axis bearing branches, leaves, flowers and fruits.
• Develops from the plumule of the embryo of a germinating seed.
• Bears nodes and internodes.
• The region of the stem where leaves are born are called nodes while internodes are the
portions between two nodes.
• The stem bears buds, which may be terminal or axillary.
• Stem is generally green when young and later often become woody and dark brown.
Functions of stem
• The main function of the stem is spreading out branches bearing leaves, flowers and fruits.
• Conducts water, minerals and photosynthates.
• Some stems perform the function of storage of food, support, protection and of vegetative
propagation.
LEAF
 LEAF

• The leaf is a lateral, generally flattened structure borne on the stem.

• It develops at the node and bears a bud in its axil. The axillary bud later develops into a branch.
• Leaves originate from shoot apical meristems and are arranged in an acropetal order.
• They are the most important vegetative organs for photosynthesis.

Parts of leaf
• Leaf base, petiole and lamina
 1) Leaf base
• The leaf is attached to the stem by the leaf base and may bear two lateral small leaf like structures
called stipules.
• In monocotyledons, the leaf base expands into a sheath covering the stem partially or wholly.

• In some leguminous plants the leaf base may become swollen, which is called the pulvinus.
2) Petiole
• The petiole help hold the blade to light.
• Long thin flexible petioles allow leaf blades to flutter in wind, thereby cooling the leaf and bringing fresh air
to leaf surface.
3) Lamina
• The lamina or the leaf blade is the green expanded part of the leaf with veins and veinlets.
• There is, usually, a middle prominent vein, which is known as the midrib.
• Veins provide rigidity to the leaf blade and act as channels of transport for water, minerals and food
materials.
• The shape, margin, apex, surface and extent of incision of lamina varies in different leaves.
 VENATION
• The arrangement of veins and the veinlets in the lamina of leaf is termed as venation.
• Venation is mainly of 2 types
1) Reticulate venation
• When the veinlets form a network, the venation is termed as reticulate.
• Leaves of dicotyledonous plants generally possess reticulate venation.

2) Parallel venation
• When the veins run parallel to each other within a lamina, the venation is termed as parallel.
• Parallel venation is the characteristic of most monocotyledons.
 Types of leaves

Simple Compound
Lamina is entire or when Incisions of the lamina
incised, the incisions do not reach up to the midrib
touch the midrib. breaking it into a number
of leaflets
 Compound leaf

Pinnately compound Palmately compound

A number of leaflets are present on The leaflets are attached at a
a common axis, the rachis, which common point, i.e., at the tip
represents the midrib of the leaf. of petiole.
Eg. Neem Eg. Silk cotton
 Phyllotaxy
Pattern of arrangement of leaves on the stem or branch

Alternate Opposite Whorled

A single leaf arises at each node A pair of leaves arise at each More than two
in alternate manner node and lie opposite to each leaves arise at a node
Eg.China rose, mustard , other and form a whorl
sun flower plants Eg. Calotropis, guava plants Eg. Alstonia
 Solitary
Flower
 Flower is the reproductive unit in angiosperms.
 A flower is a modified shoot wherein the shoot apical meristem changes
to floral meristem.
 Internodes do not elongate and the axis gets condensed.
 The apex produces different kinds of floral appendages laterally at
successive nodes instead of leaves.
 When a shoot tip transforms into a flower, it is always solitary.
 The arrangement of flowers on the floral axis is termed as inflorescence.
 Types of inflorescence

 Depending on whether the apex gets developed into a flower or

continues to grow, there are two major types of inflorescences :
(1) Racemose inflorescence
 The main axis continues to grow.
 Flowers are borne laterally in an acropetal succession (flower
arrangement in which the new flowers are at the top, and the older
flowers are at the bottom)
(2) Cymose inflorescence
 The main axis terminates in a flower, hence is limited in growth.
 The flowers are borne in a basipetal order (arrangement of older
flowers at the apex and new flowers and buds at the base)
RACEMOSE INFLORESCENCE CYMOSE INFLORESCENCE
 Flower
 Floral whorls
 A typical flower has four different kinds of whorls . They are:
(1) Calyx - consists of sepals
(2) Corolla - consists of petals
(3) Androecium – consists of stamens
(4) Gynoecium – consists of carpel or pistil
 The stalk of the flower is called pedicel.
 The swollen end of the pedicel is called thalamus or receptacle on which
the four different kinds of whorls are arranged .
 Calyx and corolla are accessory organs or non essential whorls.
 Androecium and gynoecium are reproductive organs or essential whorls.
 In some flowers like lily, the calyx and corolla are not distinct and are
termed as perianth.
 Types of flowers

 Bisexual flower - Flower has both androecium and gynoecium.

 Unisexual flower - Flower having either only androecium or only gynoecium.

 Types of flowers according according to the symmetry
1) Actinomorphic ( radial symmetry)
 When a flower can be divided into two equal radial halves in any radial plane passing
through the centre, it is said to be actinomorphic.
 E.g., mustard, datura, chilli
2) Zygomorphic ( bilateral symmetry)
 When it can be divided into two similar halves only in one particular vertical plane.
 E.g., pea, gulmohur, bean, Cassia
3) Asymmetric ( Irregular)
 When it cannot be divided into two similar halves by any vertical plane passing through the
centre
 Eg. canna.
SYMMETRY – Types of flowers
 Types of flowers based on the floral appendages
(sepals/petals/stamens/carpels)
 Trimerous – when floral appendages are in multiples of 3
 Tetramerous – when floral appendages are in multiples of 4
 Pentamerous - when the floral appendages are in multiple of 5
 Types of flowers based on the presence or absence of bracts

 Bracteate – Flowers with bracts-reduced leaf found at the base of the pedicel.

 Ebracteate - Flowers without bracts, ebracteate.

 Types of flowers based on the position of calyx, corolla and androecium in
respect of the ovary on thalamus

1) Hypogynous flower
 The gynoecium occupies the highest position while the other parts are situated
 below it.
 The ovary in such flowers is said to be superior.
 E.g., mustard, china rose and brinjal.
 2) Perigynous flower
 Gynoecium is situated in the centre and other parts of the flower are located on the
rim of the thalamus almost at the same level .
 The ovary here is said to be half inferior.
 E.g. plum, rose, peach
 3) Epigynous flower
 The margin of thalamus grows upward enclosing the ovary completely and getting fused
with it, the other parts of flower arise above the ovary.
 Hence, the ovary is said to be inferior
 E.g - flowers of guava and cucumber, and the ray florets of sunflower.
 Parts of a flower
1) Calyx
 Outermost whorl of the flower and the members are called sepals.
 Generally, sepals are green, leaf like and protect the flower in the bud stage.
 The calyx may be
 (1) Gamosepalous – when sepals are united
 (2) Polysepalous - when sepals are free
 2) Corolla
 Corolla is composed of petals.
 Petals are usually brightly coloured to attract insects for pollination .
 Corolla may be:
 (1) Gamopetalous – when petals are united
 (2) Polypetalous - when petals are free
 Aestivation
 The mode of arrangement of sepals or petals in floral bud with respect to the other
members of the same whorl is known as aestivation.
 The main types of aestivation are :
(1)Valvate
(2) Twisted
(3) Imbricate
(4) Vexillary
 Types of aestivation in corolla

Valvate Twisted Imbricate Vexillary

1) Valvate aestivation
 When sepals or petals in a whorl just touch one another at the margin, without overlapping it
is said to be valvate .
Eg - Calotropis

(2) Twisted aestivation

 If one margin of the sepal /petal overlaps that of the next one and so on it is called twisted.
Eg- china rose, lady’s finger and cotton
(3) Imbricate aestivation
 If the margins of sepals or petals overlap one another but not in any particular direction the
aestivation is called imbricate.
Eg - Cassia and gulmohur
(4) Vexillary or papilionaceous
 In pea and bean flowers, there are five petals, the largest (standard) overlaps the two lateral
petals (wings) which in turn overlap the two smallest anterior petals (keel) . This type of
aestivation is known as vexillary or papilionaceous.
 Androecium
 Male reproductive whorl.
 Composed of stamens
 Each stamen has a stalk called filament and an anther.
 Anther is usually bilobed and each lobe has two chambers, the pollen-sacs. The pollen
grains are produced in pollen-sacs.
 A sterile stamen is called staminode . It does not produce pollen grains.
 Types of stamen

 Epipetalous – Stamens attached to the petals . Eg. Brinjal

 Epiphyllous – Stamens attached to perianth . Eg – Lilly flowers

Polyandrous – Stamens are free from one another and also from other whorls.
  When stamens are fused with one another , they can be categorized as:
1) Monoadelphous – Stamens are united into one bunch or one bundle . Eg – China rose
2) Diadelphous – Stamens are fused into two bundles. Eg – Pea
3) Polyadelphous – Stamens fuse into more than two bundles. Eg – Citrus

Diadelphous
Monadelphous
 Gynoecium
 Female reproductive part of the flower
 Consists of one or more carpels ( pistil)
 A carpel consists of three parts - stigma, style and ovary.
 Ovary is the enlarged basal part, on which lies the elongated
tube, the style.
 Each ovary bears one or more ovules attached to a flattened,
cushion-like placenta .
 The style connects the ovary to the stigma.
 The stigma is usually at the tip of the style and is the receptive
surface for pollen grains.
 The ovary encloses the ovarian cavity or locule.
 The placenta is located inside the ovarian cavity . The ovules
are attached to the placenta in the ovarian locule .
 Types of gynoecium
 Apocarpous - When more than one carpel is present and when they are free it is called apocarpous.
Eg – lotus, rose
 Syncarpous - When carpels are fused it is said to be syncarpous . Eg mustard and tomato.
 After fertilisation, the ovules develop into seeds and the ovary matures into a fruit.
Attachment of ovules to the placenta on ovarian locule
 Placentation
 The arrangement of ovules within the ovary is known as placentation.
 The placentation are of different types :
(1) Marginal
(2) Axile
(3) Parietal
(4) Free central
(5) Basal
 Marginal placentation
 In marginal placentation the placenta forms a ridge along the ventral suture of the ovary and the
ovules are borne on this ridge forming two rows. Eg .pea
 Axile placentation
 When the placenta is axial and the ovules are attached
to it in a multilocular ovary, the placentaion is said to
be axile .
 Eg - china rose, tomato and lemon
 Parietal placentation

 In parietal placentation, the ovules develop on the inner wall of the ovary or on peripheral
part.
 E.g., Mustard and Argemone.
 Free central placentation

 When the ovules are borne on central axis and septa are absent the placentation is free central
 Eg - Dianthus and Primrose
 Basal placentation

 In basal placentation, the placenta develops at the base of ovary and a single ovule is
attached to it .
 Eg - sunflower, marigold.
 FRUIT
Fruit is a mature or ripened ovary, developed after fertilisation.
Parthenocarpic fruit - Fruit is formed without fertilisation of the ovary is called a parthenocarpic fruit.
They are generally seedless.
Parts of a fruit
• Generally, the fruit consists of a wall or pericarp and seeds.
• The pericarp may be dry or fleshy.
• When pericarp is thick and fleshy, it is differentiated into the outer epicarp, the middle mesocarp
and the inner endocarp.

Mango Coconut
 Drupe
• Fruit developed from monocarpellary superior ovaries and are one seeded.
• Eg. Mango, coconut
• In mango the pericarp is well differentiated into an outer thin epicarp, a middle fleshy edible
mesocarp and an inner stony hard endocarp.
• In coconut the mesocarp is fibrous
 SEED ( Fertilized ovule)

Seed coat Embryo

Embryonal axis Cotyledons

Plumule Radicle One ( Monocot) Two (Dicot)

Eg. Wheat,maize Eg. Gram,pea
 Structure of a Dicotyledonous Seed
• The outermost covering of a seed is the seed coat.
• The seed coat has two layers, the outer testa and the inner tegmen.
• The hilum is a scar on the seed coat through which the developing seeds were attached to the fruit.
• Above the hilum is a small pore called the micropyle.
• Within the seed coat is the embryo, consisting of an embryonal axis and two cotyledons.
• The cotyledons are often fleshy and full of reserve food materials.
• At the two ends of the embryonal axis are present the radicle and the plumule
 Types of seeds
• In angiosperms endosperm is a nutritive tissue formed as a result of double fertilisation.
• Endosperm provides nutrition for the development of the zygote.
• 1) Non endospermous seeds - In some seeds endosperm is completely used for the
development of embryo so that there is no endosperm persisting in the mature seed. Such seeds
are called non endospermous seeds. Eg. Bean ,gram, pea
• 2) Endospermous seeds - In some seeds endosperm is not completely used for the development
of embryo so that some endosperm still persists in mature seed. Such seeds are called
endospermous seeds. Generally monocot seeds are endospermic. Eg. Castor
• But some monocots as in orchids are non-endospermic.
 Structure of Monocotyledonous Seed
• In the seeds of cereals such as maize the seed coat is membranous and generally fused with the fruit
wall.
• The endosperm is bulky and stores food.
• The outer covering of endosperm separates the embryo by a proteinaceous layer called aleurone layer.
• The embryo is small and situated in a groove at one end of the endosperm.
• It consists of one large and shield shaped cotyledon known as scutellum and a short axis with a plumule
and a radicle.
• The plumule and radicle are enclosed in sheaths which are called coleoptile and coleorhiza respectively
 Semi technical description of a flowering plant

 Various morphological features are used to describe a flowering plant.

 The description has to be brief, in a simple and scientific language and presented in a
proper sequence.
 The plant is described beginning with its :
 (1) habit
 (2) vegetative characters – roots, stem and leaves
 (3)floral characters - inflorescence and flower parts.
 (4) After describing various parts of plant, a floral diagram and a floral formula are
presented
 Floral formula
 Floral formula represents the organization of different whorls of the flower , their number,cohesion
( union within parts of a whorl) and adhesion ( union between parts of different whorls) .
 Symbols used in floral formula:
 Floral diagram
 Floral diagram provides information about the number of parts in different whorls of a flower,
their arrangement and the relation they have with one another .
 The position of the mother axis with respect to the flower is represented by a dot on the top of
the floral diagram.
 Calyx, corolla, androecium and gynoecium are drawn in successive whorls, calyx being the
outermost and the gynoecium being in the centre.
Floral formula and floral diagram of mustard plant
 Solanaceae
 Commonly called as the ‘potato family’.
 Widely distributed in tropics, subtropics and even temperate zones .
Vegetative Characters
 Plants mostly herbs, shrubs and rarely small trees
 Stem: herbaceous rarely woody, aerial; erect, cylindrical, branched, solid or
hollow, hairy or glabrous, underground stem in potato (Solanum tuberosum)
 Leaves: alternate, simple, rarely pinnately compound, exstipulate; venation
reticulate
Floral Characters
 Inflorescence : Solitary, axillary or cymose as in Solanum
 Flower: bisexual, actinomorphic
 Calyx: sepals five, united, persistent, valvate aestivation
 Corolla: petals five, united; valvate aestivation
 Androecium: stamens five, epipetalous
 Gynoecium: bicarpellary obligately placed, syncarpous;
ovary superior, bilocular, placenta swollen with many
ovules, axile
 Fruits: berry ( fleshy fruit containing many seeds) or
capsule ( dry fruit which splits open to release seeds)
 Seeds: many, endospermous ( retain endosperm in
mature seeds)

 Floral Formula: