The modified reproductive shoot of an angiosperm. When all parts are present, consisting of a
whorl of sepals, petals, stamens, and pistil.
Solitary Flower
A single flower borne on a peduncle.
Inflorescence
A cluster of flowers.
Bract
A modified leaf subtending a flower or located in an inflorescence.
Merous
The suffix used to describe the number of floral parts in each whorl. A plant with floral parts
in multiples of 3 (3 petals, 3 sepals, 6 stamens, and a single 3-carpelled pistil) is considered
to be 3-merous. Most higher angiosperms are either 3-, 4-, or 5-merous.
Sterile Floral Structures
Petal
The inner sterile whorl of a flower, often colourful to attract pollinators.
Corolla
A collective term for all the petals.
Sepal
The outer sterile whorl of a flower, usually green.
Calyx
A collective term for all the sepals.
Tepals
Petals and sepals that are alike in colour and shape.
Perianth
A collective term for all the petals and sepals.
Hypanthium
A floral structure formed by the fusion of floral parts around a pistil.
Receptacle (or Torus)
The basal portion of a flower to which all floral parts are attached.
Male Floral Structures
Stamen
The male reproductive organ of a flower.
Anther
The fertile portion of a stamen, the part in which pollen is produced, usually consisting of 4 microsporangia.
Filament
The sterile portion of a stamen, supports the anther.
Androecium
A collective term describing all the stamens in a flower.
Female Floral Structures
Carpel
The female reproductive organ of a flower; one unit of a compound pistil.
Pistil
The female reproductive organ of a flower, composed of 1 to several carpels.
Stigma
The pollen receptive structure at the top of a pistil.
Style
The stalk between the stigma and the ovary.
Ovary
The fertile part of the pistil, containing the ovules and developing into the fruit.
Locule
The chamber in a carpel, within which the ovules are located.
Ovule
The nucellus (megasporangium) and integuments, contains the egg nucleus.
Gynoecium
A collective term describing all the pistils in a flower.
