Related ArticlesEdible Flowers Chart - Home CookingNon-Edible Poisonous Flowers Chart - Home CookingEdible Flowers Selection and Storage to store and select e. fleur, a term popularly used for the bloom or blossom of a plant, and so by analogy for the fairest, choicest or finest part or aspect of anything, and in various technical we shall deal only with its botanical is impossible to give a rigid botanical definition of the term " flower.

" The flower is a characteristic feature of the highest group of the plant kingdom - the flowering plants Phanerogams - and is the name given to the association of organs, more or less leaf-like in form, which are concerned with the production of the fruit or modern botanical works the group is often known as the seed-plants Spermatophyta.

As the seed develops from the ovule which has been fertilized by the pollen, the essential structures for seed-production are two, pollen-bearer or stamen and the ovule-bearer or car are with few exceptions foliar structures, known in comparative morphology as sporophylls, because they bear the spores, namely, the microspores or pollen-grains which are developed in the microsporangia or pollen-sacs, and the megaspore, which is contained in the ovule or megasporangium.

article In Gymnosperms, which represent the more primitive X. 1S a type of seed-plants, the microor macro-sporophylls are generally associated, often in large numbers, in separate cones, to which the term " flower " has been there is considerable difference of opinion as to the relation between these cones and the more definite and elaborate structure known as the flower in the higher group of seed-plantsthe Angiosperms - and it is to this more definite structure that we generally refer in using the term " flower.

" Flowers are produced from flower-buds, just as leaf-shoots arise from two kinds of buds have a resemblance to each other as regards the arrangement and the development of their parts; and it sometimes happens, from injury and other causes, that the part of the axis which, in ordinary cases, would produce a leaf-bud, gives origin to a flower-bud. A flower-bud has not in ordinary circumstances any power of extension by the continuous development of its this respect it differs from a some cases, however, of monstrosity, especially seen in the rose fig.

1, the central part is prolonged, and bears leaves or such cases the flowers, so far as their functional capabilities are concerned, are usually phenomenon is known as proliferation of the floral axis. article When bracts become coloured, as in Amherstia nobilis, Euphorbia splendens, Erica elegans and Salvia splendens, they may be mistaken for parts of the are sometimes mere scales or threads, and at other times are undeveloped, giving rise to the ebracteate inflorescence flower delivery az Cruciferae and some they are empty, no flower-buds being produced in their axil.

A series of empty coloured bracts terminates the inflorescence of Salvia smaller bracts or bracteoles, which occur among the subdivisions of a branching inflorescence, often produce no flower-buds, and thus anomalies occur in the floral are occasionally persistent, remaining long attached to the base of the peduncles, but more usually they are deciduous, falling off early by an some instances they form part of the fruit, becoming incorporated with other organs.

Thus, the cones of firs and the stroboli of the hop are composed of a series of spirally arranged bracts covering fertile flowers; and the scales on the fruit of the pine-apple are of the same the base of the general umbel in umbelliferous plants a whorl of bracts often exists, called a general involucre, and at the base of the smaller umbels or umbellules there is a similar leafy whorl called an involucel or partial some instances, as in fools-parsley, there is no general involucre, but simply an involucel; while in other cases, as in fennel or dill fig.

15, neither involucre nor involucel is Compositae the name involucre is applied to the bracts surrounding the head FIG. - Head capitulumof Marigold Calendula, showing a congeries of flowers, enclosed by rows of bracts, i, at the base, which are collectively called an involucre.

article 2, i, as in marigold, dandelion, daisy, involucre is frequently composed of several rows of leaflets, which are either of the same or of different forms and lengths, and often lie over each other in an imbricated leaves of the involucre are spiny in thistles and in teazel Dipsacus, and hooked in whorled or verticillate bracts generally remain separate polyphyllous, but may be united by cohesion gamophyllous, as in many species of Bupleurum and in Compositae besides the involucre there are frequently chaffy and setose bracts at the base of each flower, and in Dipsacaceae a membranous tube surrounds each structures are of the nature of an the acorn the cupule or cup fig.

3 is formed by a growing upwards of the flower-stalk immediately beneath the flower, upon which scaly or spiny protuberances appear; it is of the nature of also compose the husky covering of the hazel-nut.

When bracts become united, and overlie each other in several rows, it often happens that the outer ones do not produce flowers, that is, are empty or the artichoke the outer imbricated scales or bracts are in this condition, and it is from the membranous white scales or bracts paleae forming the choke attached to the edible receptacle that the flowers are sterile bracts of the daisy occasionally produce capitula, and give rise to the hen-and-chickens place of developing flower-buds, bracts may, in certain circumstances, as in proliferous or viviparous plants, produce leaf-buds.

article A sheathing bract enclosing one or several flowers is called a is common among Monocotyledons, as Narcissus fig. 4, snow-flake, Arum and some palms it is 20 ft. long, and encloses 200,000 is often associated with that form of inflorescence termed the spadix, and may be coloured, as in Anthuriuzn, or white, as in arum lily Richardia aethiopica.

When the spadix is compound or branching, as in palms, there are smaller spathes, surrounding separate parts of the spathe protects the flowers in their young state, and often falls off after they are developed, flower delivery philippines lbc hangs down From Strasburgers Lehrbuch der Botanik, by permission of Gustav Fischer. in a withered form, as in some palms, Typha and grasses the outer scales or glumes of the spikelets are sterile bracts fig.

5, gl; and in Cyperaceae bracts enclose the organs of are frequently changed into complete change is called phyllody of bracts, and is seen in species of Plantago, especially in the variety of Plantago media, called the rose-plantain in gardens, where the bracts become leafy and form a rosette round flower delivery san diego downtown flowering changes occur in Plantago major, P.

lanceolata, Ajuga reptans, dandelion, daisy, dahlia and in umbelliferous conversion of bracts into stamens staminody of bracts has been observed in the case of A bies excelsa. A lengthening of the axis of the female strobilus of Coniferae is not of infrequent occurrence in Cryptomeria japonica, larch Larix europaea, c.and this is usually associated with a leaf-like condition of the bracts, and sometimes even with the development of leaf-bearing shoots in place of the scales.

article The arrangement of the flowers on the axis, or the ramification of the floral axis, is called the primary axis of the inflorescence is sometimes called the rachis; its branches, whether terminal or lateral, which form the stalks supporting flowers or clusters of flowers, are peduncles, and if small branches are given off by it, they are called pedicels.

A flower having a stalk is called pedunculate or pedicel- late; one having no stalk is describing a branching inflorescence, it is common to speak of the rachis as the primary floral axis, its branches as the secondary floral axes, their divisions as the tertiary floral axes, and so on; thus avoiding any confusion that might arise from the use of the terms rachis, peduncle and pedicel. The peduncle is simple, bearing a single flower, as in primrose; or flower delivery philippines alabang, as in London-pride.

- Peduncle of Fig It is sometimes succulent, as in Carica, ending in a the cashew, in which it forms the receptacle, enclosing large coloured expansion supnumerous male and female porting the nut; spiral, as in and Vallisneria; or spiny, as in Alyssum the peduncle proceeds from radical leaves, that is, from an axis which is so shortened as to bring the leaves close together in the form of a cluster, as in the primrose, auricula or hyacinth, it is termed a scape.

The floral axis may be shortened, assuming a flattened, convex or concave form, and bearing numerous flowers, as in the flower delivery in lincoln uk choke, daisy and fig fig. The floral axis sometimes appears as if formed by several peduncles united together, constituting a fasciated axis, as in the cockscomb, in which the flowers form a peculiar crest at the apex of the flattened occasionally take place between the peduncle and the bracts or leaves of the plant, as in the lime-tree fig.

The adhesion of the peduncles to the stem accounts for the extraaxillary position of flowers, as in many this union extends for a considerable length along the stem, several leaves may be interposed between the part where the peduncle becomes free and the leaf whence it originated, and it may be difficult to trace the peduncle occasionally becomes abortive, and in place of bearing a flower, is transformed into a tendril; at other times it is hollowed at the apex, so as apparently to form the lower part of the outer whorl of floral leaves as in Eschscholtzia.

The termination of the peduncle, or the part on which the whorls of the flower are arranged, is called the thalamus, torus or receptacle. There are two distinct types of inflorescence - one in which the flowers arise as lateral shoots from a primary axis, which goes on elongating, and the lateral shoots never exceed in their development the length of the primary axis beyond their point of flowers are thus always axillary.

Exceptions, such as in cruciferous plants, are due to the non-appearance of the the other type the primary axis terminates FIG. - Head of flowerscapitulum of Scabiosa inflorescence is simple and indeterminate, and the expansion of the flowers centripetal, those at the circumference opening first.

article From VinesStudents Text-Book of Botany, by per- mission of Swan Sonnenschein Co, La in a single flower, but lateral axes are given off from the axils of the bracts, which again repeat the primary axis; the development of each lateral axis is stronger than that of the primary axis beyond its point of flowers produced in this inflorescence are thus first kind of inflorescence is indeterminate, Here the axis is either elongated, FIG.

- Inflorescence of the Lime Tilia platyphyllos nat. producing flower-buds as it grows, the lower expanding first fig. 8, or it is shortened and depressed, and the outer flowers expand first fig. The expansion of the flowers is thus centripetal, that is, from base to apex, or from circumference to centre. The second kind of inflorescence is determinate, definite or this the axis is either elongated and ends in a solitary flower, which thus terminates the axis, and if are produced, they belong to secondary axes farther from the centre; or the axis is shortened and flat tened, producing a number of separate floral axes, the central f one expanding first, while the others are developed in succession farther from the expansion of the flowers is in this case centrifugal, that is, from apex to base, or from centre to is illustrated in fig.

10, Ranunculus bulbosus; a is the primary axis swollen at the base in a bulb-like manner b, and with roots proceeding from it. From the leaves which are radical proceeds the axis ending in a solitary terminal flower f. About the middle of this axis there is a leaf or bract, from which a secondary floral axis a" is produced, ending in a single flower less advanced than the flower f. This secondary axis bears a leaf also, from which a tertiary floral axis a" is produced, bearing an unexpanded solitary flower f".

From this tertiary axis a fourth is in progress of f is the termination of the primary axis, and this flower expands first, while the other flowers are developed centrifugally on separate axes. article A third series of inflorescences, termed mixed, may be them the primary axis has an arrangement belonging to the opposite type from that of the branches, or vice to the mode and degree of development of the lateral shoots and also of the bracts, various forms of both inflorescences result.

Amongst indefinite forms the simplest occurs when a lateral shoot produced in the axil of a large single foliage leaf of the plant ends in a single flower, the axis of the plant elongating beyond, as in Veronica hederifolia, Vinca minor and Lysimachia nemorum.

The flower in this case is solitary, and the ordinary leaves become bracts by producing flower-buds in place of leaf-buds; their number, like that of the leaves of this main axis, is indefinite, varying with the vigour of the plant. Usually, however, the floral axis, arising from a more or less altered leaf or bract, instead of ending in a solitary flower, is prolonged, and bears numerous bracteoles, from which smaller peduncles are produced, and those again in their turn may be branched in a similar the flowers are arranged in groups, and frequently very complicated forms of inflorescence the primary local flower delivery san francisco or floral axis, as in fig.

8, is elongated, and gives off pedicels, ending in single flowers, a raceme is produced, as in currant, hyacinth and barberry. H the secondary floral axes give rise to tertiary ones, the raceme is branching, and forms a panicle, as in Yucca in a raceme the lower flowerstalks are developed more strongly than the upper, and thus all the flowers are nearly on a level, a corymb is formed,which may be simple, as in fig.

II, where the primary axis a gives off secondary axes a", a", which end in single flowers; or branching, where the secondary axes again the pedicels are very short or wanting, so that the flowers are sessile, a spike is produced, as in Plantago and vervain Verbena officinalis fig. If the spike bears unisexual flowers, as in willow or hazel fig. 13, it is an amentum or catkin, hence such trees are called amentiferous; at other times it becomes succulent, bearing numerous flowers, surrounded by a sheathing bract or spathe, and then it constitutes a spadix, which may be simple, as in Arum maculatum fig.