Inflorescences & Its Types

Mohammad Saif

1. Inflorescence
Submitted Submitted
Too;
MrMr, Sultan MuhammadSultan Muhammad

Submitted Submitted
ByBy;
Mohammad SaifMohammad Saif
•Department: Center For Agriculture Sciences
And Forestry University Of Swat

2. What is an inflorescence?
•In angiosperms many small flowers are borne together in
dense clusters called inflorescence.
OR
•The arrangement of flowers on the floral axis (Shoot system)
of a plant is called inflorescence.
•Cluster of flowers ensures pollination, fertilization and thus
the reproductive success of the species.
•There are many types of inflorescence. Each type of
inflorescence is determined by how the flowers are
arranged.

3. Types of Inflorescence
1.Racemose Inflorescence:
In racemose inflorescence,
the main axis continue to grow indifinitely until the last flower
is formed at its apex.
The oldest flowers are towards the base of the
inflorescence and the youngest ones towards the apex.
2.Cymose inflorescence:
In cymose inflorescence,
the main axis soon ends in flower. One, two or more lateral
branches develop below the terminal flower, each ending in a
flower like the main axis.
In this case the terminal flower is oldest and the lateral
flowers are younger.

4. Racemose Inflorescences
•Typical Raceme
•Spike
•Catkin
•Corymb
•Umbel
•Panicle
•Capitulum

Cymose Inflorescences
•Uniparous cyme/Monochasial cyme
•Biparous cyme/Dichasial cyme
•Multiparous cyme.

5. Typical Raceme
•In typical raceme the main
axis is elongated.
•The main axis bears
laterally a number of
flowers.
•Each flower has a pedicel
or stalk.
•eg. Cassia fistula.
•Racemose.
Raceme

6. Typical Raceme
•Cassia fistula is widely
grown as an ornamental
plant.
•It blooms in late spring.
•Flowering is profuse, with
trees being covered with
yellow flowers, many times
with almost no leaf being
seen.
Cassia fistula

7. Spike
•The main axis is
elongated like raceme.
•Individual flowers are
sessile (without
pedicels).
•eg. Bottle brush.
•Racemose.
spike

8. Spike
•Bottle brush are mostly found
in the more temperate regions
of Australia.
•It typically favour moist
conditions.
•When planted in gardens
thrive on regular watering.
Bottle
Brush

9. •It is a spike.
•Unisexual flowers i-e
bears only
staminate(having
stamens) and
pistillate(having pistels)
flowers.
•Sessile flowers.
•Hidden by bract.
•eg. Mulberry, Willow.
•Racemose.
Catkin

10. •Many trees bear
catkins.
•Catkin Flowers are in;
•willows,
•birches etc.


Willow Flower
Catkin

11. Corymb
•The main axis is
comparitively short.
•The stalk of the lower flowers
are longer than those of the
upper younger ones.
•Often flat-topped.
•eg. Iberis(candy tuft)
•Racemose.
corymb
pedicel

12. Corymb
•The leaves, stem, and
root are said to possess
medicinal properties.
•The seeds are most
efficacious.
Candy tuft

13. Umbel
•The main axis is
shortened.
•Individual flower
pedicels all originate
from the same spot on
the peduncle(stem).
•eg. Hydrocotyl (brahmi
booti)
•Racemose.
peduncle
pedicel

14. Compound Umbel
•In some cases a
number of umbels are
present on main axis.
•Such compound
inflorescence is called
compound umbel.
•eg. Carrot.
Compund
Umbel

15. Panicle
•A highly branched
inflorescence consisting of
many, repeating units.
•Panicles can be made of
many spikes, racemes,
corymbs, or umbels.
•eg. Grapes, Mango, Oat.
•Racemose.
A panicle of racemes

16. Panicle
•Grapes are a type of
fruit that grow in
clusters of 15 to 300.
•It can be black, dark
blue and green.
Common Grape

17. Capitulum
•Capitulum consists of dense
terminal sessile flowers
(flowers which have no
pedicel).
•Flowers are crowded
together on a very short
axis.
•It looks like a single flower.
•eg. Sunflower.
•Racemose.
sessile
flowers

18. Capitulum
•Sunflower, produces a
large number of sessile
flowers.
Sunflower

19. Uniparous Cyme
•The main axis ends
in flower and
produce only one
daughter axis.
•The daughter axis
again ends in flower
and give rise to one
daughter axis.
•eg. Begonia,
Tradescenta.
•Cymose
Begonia

20. Biparous Cyme
•The main axis ends in
flower and prduces two
daughter axis.
•Each of the two
daughter axis again end
in a flower and produces
two daughter axis.
•Continue the branching
in same manner.
•eg. Silene, Ipomea.
•Cymose
Biparous
Cyme

21. Multiparous Cyme
•The main axis ends in a
flower and produce
multiple axis.
•Each of it may continue
the branching in the
similer manner.
•eg. Euphorbia
•Cymose
Euphorbia

22. The End