Flowers Other facts… Original by Libby Astrachan Modified by Georgia Agriculture Education Curriculum Office- July 2004

Blossoms in which all petals, sepals, and stamens are shaped alike Regular Flowers Blossoms in which all petals, sepals, and stamens are shaped alike

Irregular Flowers Blossoms in which at least 1 petal, sepal, or stamens is different from the others.

Petals united at the bases, forming a funnel-shaped corolla Interesting flowers Tomato: Petals united at the bases, forming a funnel-shaped corolla

Interesting flowers Sweet pea: Each petal differently shaped

Interesting flowers Mint: Each petal is united

Stamens’ filaments “smushed” together, surrounding the style Interesting flowers Hibiscus: Stamens’ filaments “smushed” together, surrounding the style

Flowers that come in either a male or female form Unisexual Flowers Flowers that come in either a male or female form

Male flowers Just produce pollen

Female flowers Possess only a pistil *some female flowers DO have male stamens – but they are reduced in size and non-functional

Location of the ovary: Superior Ovary arising above the corolla

Location of the ovary: Inferior Ovary below the corolla

Flowering strategies for unisexual flowers Holly flowers – male flowers on the right, female on the left

Monoecious both male and female flowers on the same plant Squash plants produce separate male and female flowers. Male flowers outnumber female ones by about 3.5 to one to 10 to one. This helps ensure pollination of the female flowers which must be pollinated to set fruit. Bees are the most important pollinators, and seed number and fruit weight increase proportionally to the amount of pollen transferred to the stigma.

Dioecious male and female flowers on different plants Hollies are grown primarily for berries and since only the female produces berries, you would want to be certain you planted the female. However, there must be a male tree near the female or no fruit is produced. Generally, one male tree to ten females is adequate to insure pollination and good set of berries

Inbreeder or Out-breeder? Self-incompatible Self-compatible Many flowers Few flowers Large flowers Small flowers Bright colors Mono-colored Nectaries present Nectaries absent Scented flowers Unscented flowers Nectar guides present Nectar guides absent Anthers far from stigma Anthers near stigma Many pollen grains Few pollen grains Style exserted from flower Style included in flower Stigmatic area well-defined Stigmatic area poorly defined

Plant Taxonomy Kingdom Plants Division Class Order Family Similar floral structure Genus Species [Cultivar]

Plants in the same family… Have similar floral structures Clockwise, from rt: strawberry, pear, apple

Rosaceae Rose family Clockwise, from rt: spiraea, quince, rose

Compositae Aster family Clockwise, from rt: echinops, liatris, echinacea, rudbeckia

Liliaceae Lily family Clockwise, from rt: tulip, lily

Iridaceae Iris family Clockwise, from rt: iris, gladiolus, crocus, freesia