FLOWER

Flower [ Botany ] Synonym: Bloom, Blossom Adjective: Floral

Dictionary of botanic terminology - index of names

A flower is the the complex sexual reproductive structure of Angiosperms, typically consisting of an axis bearing perianth parts, androecium (male) andgynoecium (female). Bisexual flower show four distinctive parts arranged in rings inside each other which are technically modified leaves: Sepal, petal, stamen& pistil. This flower is referred to as complete (with all four parts) and perfect (with "male" stamens and "female" pistil). Theovary ripens into a fruit and the ovules inside develop into seeds. Incomplete flowers are lacking one or more of the four main parts. Imperfect (unisexual) flowers contain a pistil or stamens, but not both. The colourful parts of a flower and its scent attractpollinators and guide them to the nectary, usually at the base of the flower tube. Androecium (male Parts or stamens) It is made up of the filament and anther, it is the pollen producing part of the plant. Anther This is the part of the stamen that produces and contains pollen. Filament This is the fine hair-like stalk that the anther sits on top of. Pollen This is the dust-like male reproductive cell of flowering plants. Gynoecium (female Parts or carpels or pistil)  It is made up of the stigma, style, and ovary. Each pistil is constructed of one to many rolled leaflike structures.Stigma This is the part of the pistil  which receives the pollen grains and on which they germinate.  Style This is the long stalk that the stigma sits on top of.  Ovary The part of the plant that contains the ovules. Ovule The part of the ovary that becomes the seeds. Petal  The colorful, often bright part of the flower (corolla). Sepal  The parts that look like little green leaves that cover the outside of a flower bud (calix). (Undifferentiated "Perianth segment" that are not clearly differentiated into sepals and petals, take the names oftepals.) Flower may also be considered for other characteristic: Complete with all four characteristic parts present calyx, corolla, androecium and gynoecium. Incomplete lacking one or more of the four characteristic parts calyx, corolla, androecium and gynoecium Perfect: A flower that has both the male parts and female parts in the same flower. Examples: most cacti. Imperfect:  A flower that has either all male parts or all female parts, but not both in the same flower. (Plant bearing imperfect flowers may be monoecious (with male and female flowers on the same plant) and dioecious (whit male and female flowers on diferent plants) Hypogynous  With perianth and stamens positioned below  the pistil Perigynous    With perianth and stamens positioned around the pistil Epigynous     With perianth and stamens positioned above  the pistil