On many occasions, when we talk about flowers in terms of gardening or botany, the term inflorescence is mentioned. When talking about plants colloquially, it is very common to simply refer to the “flowers.” However, in a more technical environment, the usual thing will be to talk about inflorescences, especially with some species.
If you want to learn more about what the inflorescences and their different types are, accompany us in this article of Ecology Verde in which we clarify What is inflorescence, its types and partsas well as their differences with flowers.
What is inflorescence and what is its function
The flowers can be available in many different ways on the branches or the stem of the plants. Inflorescence is the way in which flowers sprout and arrange. Some may seem simple flowers, when they are actually formed by many of them, as is the case of Margarita inflorescence.
And what is the Function of inflorescence? Well, it’s none other than that of just Sustain the flowers. These, in turn, are a vital part of the reproductive cycle of the plant, being completely responsible for sexual reproduction. The flowers house the male and female sexual organs of the plant. Each flower can have one of the two or both, in which case they are called perfect flowers, because they can be able to self -feed. When the pollen of the male flowers fertilizes the pistil, whether transported by the wind, the elements or the pollinators, the flower will end up giving rise to a fruit, which will contain one or several seeds, from which a new plant may be born.
Types of inflorescence
We can find different Types of inflorescences. One of the most basic distinctions is found to see if it has only one flower, in which case it is Uniflora inflorescenceor has two or more of them, in which case it is multiflora. In addition, one Inflorescence multiflora It can be simple or compound. The first are those that have first -order ramifications exclusively, while in the compounds both the main and the sides support more inflorescences.
There is also the question of what is a certain and indeterminate inflorescence, two types that we distinguish below.
Simple cymous inflorescences
Also determined, open or defined, cymous inflorescences produce side flowers that are equal both in the main axis and in the secondary ones that are born on the sides. In this type of inflorescences we must distinguish the monochrasios from dicasios.
Those inflorescences are called monocasios in which the plant develops a lateral branch with flowers below the terminal flower. They can be simple, bóstricles, drepanios, cinch or ripides. The Dicasios, on the other hand, are those inflorescences in which the side flowers are born from the armpit of two bracts faced.
Simple closure inflorescences
Racous inflorescences, also closed, indefinite or undetermined inflorescences, are those in which the apex does not end in flower, and can continue to grow almost indefinitely. All its flowers are terminals.
They can be an inflorescence in the form of a spike, a clusted or cluster inflorescence, as well as spicing, swording, corimbo, umbela or chapter.
Compound inflorescences
They are divided into homogeneous compounds, which are those in which the lateral and the main inflorescences are equal, or mixed, in which they differ. Among them we find formations such as the spike of spikes, the chapter chapter or the cluster of spikelets, among others.
In addition, we have other special types of inflorescence, with special characteristics that cannot be grouped in the aforementioned types, such as the inflorescence, the Antela, the Glomerulus, the Verticilastro or the Ciatio.
Parts of an inflorescence
Among the different parts of the inflorescence, the following four must be distinguished: raquis, stunches, pedicel and peduncle.
- THE RAQUIS This is what we identify as the central axis of all inflorescence. It joins the stem by the peduncle. The protective leaves are also born from the raquis, from whose armpits the flowers or inflorescences will be born.
- The stunches They are the secondary lateral (or tertiary, quaternary, etc.) axes that are born from the central or raquis axis.
- The pedicel It is the structure that is born from the raquis or the stunches and holds each flower.
- The peduncleas we have mentioned before, it is where the raquis and the stem bind.
Difference between flower and inflorescence
It is usual to ask What is the difference between a flower and an inflorescence. The fastest and fastest answer is that Inflorescence can contain multiple grouped flowers in its floral structures.
It is usual to think of flowers such as the typical plants with gardening flower, or bulbous plants, with a large unique flower that is born from a floral stem. However, Plants group their flowers into structures Very often under all kinds of forms, receiving these the name of inflorescence.
They are not exclusive terms, since a flower can be part of an inflorescence. We can also find cases in which differentiation is not so simple. If we take some species of the family as an example Potamogetonaceae, We will be faced with floral structures that, apparently, are between two waters, without being unique flowers or inflorescences.
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