to study floral whorls of different flowers collected from a garden project pdf
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The following points highlight the four essential accessory whorls of a flower. The essential accessory whorls are:-
1. Calyx
2. Corolla
3. Androecium
4. Gynoecium.
Accessory Whorls # 1. Calyx:
The calyx is the outermost accessory set of floral leaves, consisting of sepals. Sepals are usually green inconspicuous bodies. They protect the essential whorls against mechanical injuries and desiccation in the bud stage.
So, their function is mainly protective. Sepals of some plants become coloured like the petals and are called petaloid, e.g. Caesalpinea (B. Krishnachura). In Mussaenda one of the sepals is transformed into a flat leaf-like structure (Fig. 88). In the sunflower family the sepals are modified into hairy bodies called pappus which help in the dispersal of fruits.
Flower of Mussaenda
If the sepals are free the calyx is called polysepalous, and they are united the calyx is gamosepalous. The gamosepalous calyx is more or less like a tube in which the number of sepals may be easily determined by counting the teeth or lobes. In many cases sepals fall off before the flowers fully open out. They are called caducous sepals, e.g. Poppy; while in others they fall off with other parts after fertilisation.
These are deciduous sepals. In some flowers sepals persist even up to the fruit stage and are called persistent, e.g. brinjal, tomato. Sometimes they not only persist but grow to form a part of the fruit, as in Dillenia (B. Chalte), Physalis (B. Tepari). These are called accrescent sepals.
Accessory Whorls # 2. Corolla:
It is the second accessory whorl of the flower, the individual parts of which are called petals. They make the flowers showy and attractive, as the petals are brightly coloured and often sweetly scented.
The function of corolla is twofold
Different kinds of flowers are collected from a garden, for studying their floral whorls.
There are four types of floral whorls in a typical flower, namely calyx, corolla, androecium and gynoecium, arranged on a receptacle.
Calyx is the outermost whorl of every flower that consists of multiple green units called sepals.
Corolla is the second whorl that contains soft, coloured and larger units called petals.
The units of androecium are called stamens that are the male reproductive parts of a flower.
Gynoecium is the female reproductive whorl containing the units called carpels.