What is a flower? Describe the parts of a typical angiosperm flower.
Flower is the reproductive unit in the angiosperms. It is meant for sexual reproduction. A typical flower has four different kinds of whorls arranged successively on the swollen end of the stalk or pedicel, called thalamus or receptacle. These are calyx, corolla, androecium and gynoecium.
Calyx and corolla are accessory organs, while androecium and gynoecium are reproductive organs. In some flowers like lily, the calyx and corolla are not distinct and are termed as perianth. Some flowers have both androecium and gynoecium and are termed hermaphrodite flowers while some flowers have only one of these two whorls.
Calyx : The calyx is the outermost whorl of the flower and its units are called sepals. Generally, sepals are green, leaf like and protect the flower in the bud stage. The calyx may be gamosepalous (sepals united) or polysepalous (sepals free).
Corolla : Corolla is composed of petals. Petals • are usually brightly coloured to attract insects for pollination. Like calyx, corolla may also be free (polypetalous) or united (gamopetalous). The shape and colour of corolla vary greatly in plants. Corolla may be tubular, bell-shaped, funnel-shaped or wheel-shaped.
Androecium : Androecium is the male reproductive part of the flower. It is composed of stamens. Each stamen which represents the male reproductive organ consists of a stalk or a filament and an anther. Each 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.
Gynoecium : Gynoecium is the female reproductive part of the flower and is made up of one or more carpels. A carpel consists of three parts namely stigma, style and ovary. Ovary is the enlarged basal part, on which lies the elongated tube, the style. 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. Each ovary bears one or more ovules attached to a flattened, cushion-like placenta. When more than one carpel is present, they may be free (as in lotus and rose) and are called apocarpous. They are termed syncarpous when carpels are fused, as in mustard and tomato. After fertilisation, the ovules develop into seeds and the ovary matures into a fruit.
Reticulate venation is found in dicot leaves while in monocot leaves venation is of parallel type. Biology being a ‘Science of exceptions’, find out any exception to this generalisation.
How do you distinguish between hypogeal germination and epigeal germination? What is the role of cotyledon (s) and the endosperm in the germination of seeds?
Mango and coconut are ‘drupe’ type of fruits. In mango fleshy mesocarp is edible. What is the edible part of coconut? What does milk of tender coconut represent?
Write the floral formula of an actinomorphic, bisexual, hypogynous flower with five united sepals, five free petals, five free stamens and two united carples with superior ovary and axile placentation.
You have heard about several insectivorous plants that feed on insects. Nepenthes or the pitcher plant is one such example, which usually grows in shallow water or in marsh lands. What part of the plant is modified into a 'pitcher'? How does this modification help the plant for food even though it can photosynthesize like any other green plant?
In swampy areas like the Sunderbans in West Bengal, plants bear special kind of roots called _______
Match the followings and choose the correct option.
|
Group A |
Group B | ||
|
A. |
Aleurone layer | (i) |
Without fertilization |
|
B. |
Parthenocarpic fruit | (ii) |
Nutrition |
|
C. |
Ovule | (iii) |
Double fertilization |
| D. |
Endosperm |
(iv) |
Seed |
Options:
In Opuntia the stem is modified into a flattened green structure to perform the function of leaves (i.e., photosynthesis). Cite some other examples of modifications of plant parts for the purpose of photosynthesis.
You have heard about several insectivorous plants that feed on insects. Nepenthes or the pitcher plant is one such example, which usually grows in shallow water or in marsh lands. What part of the plant is modified into a ‘pitcher’? How does this modification help the plant for food even though it can photosynthesise like any other green plant?
Tendrils are found in the following plants. Identify whether they are stem tendrils or leaf tendrils.
(a) Cucumber
(b) Peas
(c) Pumpkins
(d) Grapevine
(e) Watermelons
Tendrils are found in the following plants. Identify whether they are stem tendrils or leaf tendrils,
a.Cucumber
b. Peas
c. Pumpkins
. Grapevine
e. Watermelons
Define the following terms:
(a) aestivation (b) placentation
(c) actinomorphic (d) zygomorphic
(e) superior ovary (f) perigynous flower (g) epipetalous stamen.
Define the term inflorescence. Explain the basis for the different types of inflorescence in flowering plants.
Roots obtain oxygen from air in the soil for respiration. In the absence or deficiency of 02, root growth is restricted or com pletely stopped. How do the plants growing in marshlands or swamps obtain their 02 required for root respiration?
Give two examples of roots that develop from . different parts of the angiospermic plant other than the radicle.
Write floral formula for a flower which, is bisexual; actinoiflorphic; sepals five, twisted aestivation, petals five; valvate aestivation; stamens six; ovary tricarpellary, syncarpous, superior, trilocular with axile placentation.
Mango and coconut are ‘drupe’ type of fruits. In mango fleshy mesocarp is edible. What is the edible part of coconut? What does milk of tender coconut represent?
Stolon, offset and rhizome are different forms of stem modifications. How can these modified forms of stem be distinguished from each other?
How do you distinguish between hypogeal germination and epigeal germination? What is the role of cotyledon (s) and the endosperm in the germination of seeds?
Roots obtain oxygen from air in the soil for respiration. In the absence or deficiency of 02, root growth is restricted or completely stopped. How do the plants growing in marshlands or swamps obtain their 02 required for root respiration?
Mango and coconut are ˜drupe' type of fruits. In mango fleshy mesocarp is edible. What is the edible part of coconut? What does milk of tender coconut represent?
Rhizome of ginger is like the roots of other plants that grows underground. Despite this fact ginger is a stem and not a root. Justify.
Seeds of some plants germinate immediately after shedding from the plants while in other plants they require a period of rest before germination. The later phenomena is called as dormancy. Give the reasons for seed dormancy and some methods to break it.
Tendrils of grapevines are homologous to the tendril of pumpkins but are analogous to that of pea. Justify the above statement.
A typical angiosperm flower consists of four floral parts. Give the names of the floral parts and their arrangements sequentially.
Namedhe body part modified for food storage in the following.
(a) Carrot________________
(b) Colocasia_______________
(c) Sweet potato_______________
(d) Asparagus_______________
(e) Radish_______________
(f) Potato_______________
(g) Dahlia_______________
(h) Turmeric_______________
(i) Gladiolus_______________
(j) Ginger________________
(k) Portulaca_______________
Differerifiate between.
a. Bract and Bracteole
b. Pulvinus and petiole
c. Pedicel and peduncle
d. Spike and spadix
e. Stamen and staminoide
f. Pollen and pollenium
Rearrange the following zones as seen in the root in vertical section and choose the correct option.
A. Root hair zone
B. Zone of meristems
C. Rootcapzone
D. Zone of maturation
E. Zone of elongation
(a) C, B, E, A, D (b) A,B,C,D,E
(c) D, E, A, C, B (d) E, D, C, B, A
Seeds of some plants germinate immediately after shedding from the plants while in other plants they require a period of rest before germination. The later phenomena is called as dormancy. Give the reasons for seed dormancy and some methods to break it.
The essential functions of roots are anchorage and absorption of water and minerals in the terrestrial plant. What functions are associated with the roots of aquatic plants? How are roots of aquatic plants and terrestrial plants different?
Given below are a few floral formulae of some well known plants. Draw floral diagrams from these formulae.
You have heard about several insectivorous plants that feed on insects. Nepenthes or the pitcher plant is one such example, which usually grows in shallow water or in marsh lands. What part of the plant is modified into a 'pitcher'? How does this modification help the plant for food even though it can photosynthesize like any other green plant?
Distinguish between families Fabaceae, Solanaceae, Liliaceae on the basis of gynoecium characteristics (with figures), Also write economic importance of any one of the above family.
What is meant by modification of root? What type of modification of root is found in the:
(a) Banyan tree
(b) Turnip
(c) Mangrove trees
Justify the following statements on the basis of external features:
(i) Underground parts of a plant are not always roots.
(ii) Flower is a modified shoot.
