An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch

or a complicated arrangement of branches. Morphologically, it is the modified part of the shoot of seed
plants where flowers are formed. The modifications can involve the length and the nature of the
internodes and the phyllotaxis, as well as variations in the proportions, compressions, swellings,
adnations, connations and reduction of main and secondary axes. Inflorescence can also be defined as
the reproductive portion of a plant that bears a cluster of flowers in a specific pattern.

The stem holding the whole inflorescence is called a peduncle and the major axis (incorrectly referred to
as the main stem) holding the flowers or more branches within the inflorescence is called the rachis. The
stalk of each single flower is called a pedicel. A flower that is not part of an inflorescence is called a
solitary flower and its stalk is also referred to as a peduncle. Any flower in an inflorescence may be
referred to as a floret, especially when the individual flowers are particularly small and borne in a tight
cluster, such as in a pseudanthium. The fruiting stage of an inflorescence is known as an infructescence.

Inflorescences may be simple (single) or complex (panicle). The rachis may be one of several types,
including Single, Composite, Umbel, Spike or Raceme.

Solitary flower means one flower at a specific position of a plant. It usually accompanies with another
word either terminal or axillary.

Soliary terminal means a flower present at the apex of the main stem or its branches. e.g. Trillium
grandiflorum.

Types of Inflorescence: 5 Types (With Diagram) | Plants

The following points highlight the five major types of Inflorescence. The types are: 1. Solitary Flowers 2.
Racemose Inflorescence 3. Cymose Inflorescence 4. Mixed Inflorescence 5. Special Inflorescence.

Type # 1. Solitary Flowers:

Flowers occur singly or are separated from other flowers of the same plant by vegetative regions.
Solitary flowers are formed by direct transformation of shoot tips into flowers.

Type # 2. Racemose Inflorescence:

Racemose inflorescence is an indeterminate inflorescence which shows indefinite growth and bears a
number of flowers due to the presence of active growing point. The arrangement of flowers is either
acropetal (older towards base and younger towards apex) or centripetal (older towards periphery and
younger towards centre). Racemose inflores-cence is of two types, simple and compound.

Type # 3. Cymose Inflorescence:

Cymose inflorescence is the name of determinate or definite inflorescence in which the tip of the main
axis terminates in a flower and further growth continues by one or more lateral branches which also
behave like the main axis (Fig. 5.75). The arrangement of flowers is either basipetal or centrifugal.

Type # 4. Mixed Inflorescence:

In this case two or more types of inflorescence get mixed up to form a mixed inflores-cence, e.g., panicle
of spikelets (e.g., Oat, Rice), spike of spikelets (e.g., Wheat), corymb of capitula (e.g., Ageratum
conyzoides), umbel of capitula, raceme of capitula, mixed spadix (spadices with cymose inflorescence
arranged acropetally on a fleshy axis having coloured spathes, e.g., banana), thyrsus (thyrse, cymose
clusters borne acrotepally on an axis, e.g., Grape Vine, male Cannabis).

Type # 5. Special Inflorescence:

a. Hypanthodium (Fig. 5.80):

Hypanthodium has a flask-shaped fleshy receptacle which possesses a narrow canal and a terminal pore
at one end. The pore is surrounded by a few scales while the canal is lined by downwardly pointed hairs.
Internally the receptacle bears male flowers towards the pore and female flow-ers towards the base.

Sterile, neuter or gall flowers occur in between the two groups. The inflorescence is formed by the
condensation of three types of flower- bearing axes (cymose groups). Hypanthodium is found in the
genus Ficus of the family Moraceae, e.g., Peepal (Ficus religiosa), Banyan (Ficus bengalensis), and Fig
(Ficus carica).

The Flower, Essential and Non-essential

Flower Parts

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Complete familiarity of the flower, flower parts and their functions is necessary in understanding the
subject of reproduction in the angiosperms or flowering plants. It is particularly important in crop
agriculture which includes the development of technology leading to increased yields in terms of flower,
fruit and seed.

The flower is unique to the angiosperms, from which all fruits and seeds develop. It is the structure of
the flower which became the basis of plant classification which Carl Linnaeus formulated and was to
become the foundation of the science of plant taxonomy.

A flower is the plant reproductive organ of angiospermous plants which develops within a bud and
consists of parts attached to the tip of a short modified stem called receptacle. It is a determinate,
modified shoot having either or both a stamen and pistil, with or without outer whorls of petals and
sepals.

In many plants, the same shoot apical meristem that previously produces leaves suddenly terminates
leaf production and commences flowering. In other plants, flowers are directly developed from axillary
buds. Contrary to popular belief, not all flowers or any flower part is showy and attractive, as in the
grasses.

The Flower Parts

Typical complete flowers consist of four sets of floral organs: sepals, petals, stamens and pistils. In
monocot plants, flower parts occur in threes or multiples of threes and dicots in fours or fives or
multiples of fours or fives.

The Floral Envelope

In a complete flower, the outer whorls, called the floral envelope, consist of the calyx and corolla. The
floral envelope encloses (or envelopes) the sexual organs of the flower, the pistil (female) and the
stamen (male). The calyx consists of the entire set of sepals and the corolla the entire set of petals.

Different plant species have distinct flower parts. Image shows flowers of a Phalaenopsis orchid, all in
one single flower cluster.
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The sepals (collectively called calyx) are the outermost organs below the petals which most resemble
leaves. They are generally green and inconspicuous, and they enclose and protect the bud as the flower
develops within. In some plants, the sepals may be colored and are called petaloid, a structure that is
responsible for the flower types called semi-double and double flowers.

The petals (collectively called corolla) are the showy part of most flowers. They are often highly colored,
a character that is important in their main function of attracting pollinators. They may emit a fragrant
aroma, and supplied with nectar glands that produce a viscous sugary substance. In some flowers, the
petals are green and are called sepaloid.

The sepals and petals are the flower parts that are collectively called the perianth. But where the sepals
and petals are closely alike that they can hardly be differentiated from one another, they are called
tepals.

The Essential and Non-Essential Parts of a Flower

The two inner whorls in a complete flower consist of the stamens and the pistils. As to reproduction,
they are considered the fertile and essential parts of a flower because they are directly involved in
sexual reproduction, that is, in seed formation.

Consequently, the calyx (sepals) and the corolla (petals) are sterile and are referred to as the non-
essential or accessory parts of the flower because they do not directly participate in the process of
sexual reproduction. At most, these flower parts only participate indirectly by attracting pollinators.

But as to a complete flower, all four floral organs (sepal, petal, stamen and pistil) are considered the
essential parts because all must be present for a single flower to have a complete structure. Stated
another way, the absence of any of these four organs makes a flower incomplete.

The stamens (collectively called androecium) are considered as the male reproductive part of the flower.
Each stamen typically consists of an anther, which contains the pollen, and a thin connecting support
called filament. When the pollen becomes mature, it is usually released through the ruptured anther
wall.
Pistils are considered the female reproductive part of the flower. Each pistil typically consists of three
flower parts: an enlarged basal ovary, one or more styles, and one or more stigmas (sing. stigma). In
some flowers the style may be absent.

A pistil may consist of one or more ovule-bearing units called carpel. It may be equivalent to a single
carpel, in which case it is called a simple pistil, otherwise it is composed of two or more fused carpels in
which case it is called a compound pistil. Carpels are collectively called gynoecium.

Portion of inflorescence of coconut showing separate male and female flower structures. The globular
structures represent the female flowers. The tiny elongated structures contain the male flower parts.

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The stigma is an enlarged tip of the pistil which serves as a landing pad to receive the pollen in the
process of pollination. This part of the flower may be supported by a slender stalk (the style) which is
connected to an enlarged base (the ovary) which contains one or more ovules.

After pollination and double fertilization, the ovary develops into an outer fruit and the ovule into a
seed.

Flower Arrangement

The flowers are arranged in different ways on the same plant. They may appear singly (solitary flower)
or in cluster (inflorescence).

Solitary flowers are either sessile or pedicelled. Sessile flowers are without a supporting stalk; pedicelled
flowers are supported by a stalk. A stalk that supports a cluster of flowers is called peduncle, and the
individual stalk of a solitary flower or each flower in an inflorescence is called a pedicel.

Flowers and inflorescences are usually supplied with bracts and bracteoles in various sizes, often
resembling leaves. Bracts are generally found at the base of each branch and branchlet of the
inflorescence; the bracteoles at the base of the pedicels of the flowers.

In grasses, the inflorescence consists of spikelets, or small spike, with one to several flowers and
associated bracts. Each flower is surrounded by a lemma and palea, the most visible structures of what
is commonly referred to as the rice hull.
Complete vs. Incomplete Flower Types

There are different types of flower according to the presence, or absence, of the different parts in the
same floral structure. Based on whether all of the four floral organs (sepal, petal, stamen and pistil) are
present or any one is absent, flowers are classified as either complete or incomplete.

A flower is called complete if all four floral organs are present in the same flower structure. A commonly
illustrated complete flower is that of the gumamela or China rose (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis).

An incomplete flower lacks any one or more of these parts. The flowers of grass plants (family
Gramineae or Poaceae) are mainly wind-pollinated and are incomplete, lacking both sepals and petals.
Relying on wind to accomplish pollination, there is no need for these flowers to attract pollinators.

Perfect vs. Imperfect Flower Types

Female flower of corn (maize): young, pre-pollinated ear bearing pistillate flowers.

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Flowers that contain both sexual floral organs (stamen and pistil) are called perfect or bisexual or
hemaphrodite / hermaphroditic while those that contain either stamen or pistil only are called
imperfect or unisexual flowers, regardless of whether they have or lack either sepal or petal or both.

All complete flowers are also perfect. The flower of rice (a member of the family Gramineae), although
incomplete, is perfect. All beans and peas have perfect flowers.

The separation of the male and female sexual organs increases the possibility of outcrossing or cross
pollination. Imperfect flowers are found in corn (Zea mays), squash (Cucurbita maxima), bitter gourd
(Momordica charantia), watermelon (Citrullis lunatus), and coconut (Cocos nucifera).

Tassel of corn (maize), an inflorescence bearing staminate (male) flowers.

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Imperfect flowers that bear pistils only are called pistillate flowers (considered female flowers) and
those that bear stamens only are called staminate flowers (considered male flowers). In corn, the
miniature ear that is borne on the leaf axil is an inflorescence containing pistillate flowers, and the
silks that protrude at the tip are elongated styles. The corn tassel, which arises at the apical part of the
plant shoot, is an inflorescence bearing staminate flowers.
To sum it up, there are three distinct individual flower types: pistillate (female), staminate (male), and
perfect (both pistil and stamen are present). They are used as basis in classifying plant species as well as
the sex of individual plants.

Some Rules of Thumb and Buts

1. All complete flowers are perfect because they necessarily have both the stamen and pistil (examples:
hibiscus, roses, beans, pea).

2. But not all incomplete flowers are imperfect because both the stamen and pistil may be present and
what makes the flower incomplete is the absence of either sepal or pistil or both. For example, the
flower of rice is incomplete there being no sepals and petals, but it is perfect with both stamen and
pistil.

3. All imperfect flowers are incomplete because either the pistil or stamen is lacking (example: the
staminate and pistillate flowers of squash).

4. But not all perfect flowers are complete because even though both stamen and pistil are present, the
flower is incomplete due to the absence of either or both the sepal and petal (example: rice).

Flower Types Affecting Pollination

As to synchrony in the maturation of the male (stamen) and female (pistil) flower parts, flowers are
called dichogamous when the two organs mature at different time. Dichogamy, as in the avocado, is a
natural mechanism by which plants avoid self pollination within the same flower (autogamy) thus
reducing inbreeding and, conversely, promoting outcrossing.

Dichogamous flowers are either protandrous or protogynous. Protandrous flowers (n. protandry), as in
carrots, are those in which the stamens mature ahead of the pistils so that by the time that the stigma
becomes receptive, the pollen grains within the same floral structure are already shed. Protogyny is the
reverse of protandry. The stigma of protogynous flowers, as in the water lilies (Nymphaea spp.),
becomes receptive while the pollen grains are still immature.
Flower types also differ depending on whether they open or remain close during the pollination period
(click here to read Types of Pollination). Chasmogamous flowers (n. chasmogamy) are open during the
period of pollination and are generally cross-pollinated. In the cleistogamous flowers (n. cleistogamy) of
tomato, lettuce and some rice species, the flowers do not open during the period of pollination and thus
these plants are largely self pollinated.