Question

Describe vexillary aestivation along with a diagram.

Answer 1

In some flowers like pea flower, the largest petal overlaps the two lateral petals which in turn overlap the two smallest anterior petals; this type of aestivation is called VEXILLARY aestivation.

Answer 2

Vexillary aestivation:

Vexillary aestivation is the arrangement of petals in the calyx or the corolla in a specific manner. The flowers showing in this aestivation are bilaterally symmetrical belonging to the family Fabaceae.

These flowers are pentamerous (bearing petals/sepals in the multiples of 5) having one large petal called the vexillum, which partially covers two free petals called ala, which in turn covers two smaller fused petals called carina. They can be alternatively called as standard, wings, and keel respectively.