Chapter 4: The Flower

A. Multiple Choice Type:

1. Bougainvillea flower is an example of

(a) an incomplete flower
(b) having a large nectary
(c) water pollination
(d) large colourful bracts

Ans. (d) large colourful bracts

2. A flower is said to be complete when : (a) It has the corolla and calyx
(b) It has the corolla and gynoecium
(c) It has the androecium and gynoecium
(d) It has all the four whorls.

Ans. (d) It has all the four whorls.

3. The part of the flower that gives rise to the fruit is

(a) Sepals
(b) Petals
(c) Ovary
(d) Stamens

Ans. (c) Stamens

4. The part of the flower that gives rise to the seed is

(a) Ovary
(b) Placenta
(c) Ovule
(d) Pollen grain

Ans. (c) Ovule

5. The essential whorls of the flower are the

(a) Calyx and Corolla
(b) Stamen and ovary
(c) Calyx and epicalyx
(d) Androecium and gynoecium.

Ans. (d) Androecium and gynoecium.

B. Very Short Answer Types

Q.1 Match the parts in column A with the flowers or parts of flower in column B.

Column B
Column A
(a) Polyadephous (i) Polypetalous
(b) Pollen grains (ii) Calyx, corolla
(c) Free petals (iii) Nectar
(d) Non-essential (iv) Bombax
(e) Sweet fragrant fluid (v) Pollen sac

Ans. (a) Bombay

(b) Pollen sac
(c) Polypetalous
(d) Calyx, corolla
(e) Nectur.

C. Short Answer Type

Q.1 Explain the following terms:

(a) Incomplete flower
(b) Staminate flower
(c) Pistillate flower
(d) Bisexual flower

Ans. (a) Incomplete flower – If one or more sets of floral structures are missing, the
flower is called incomplete.
(b) Staminate flower – A flower which cont5ains stamens i.e., male parts of the flower.
Requires cross- pollination.
(c) Pistillate flower – A flower that contains a centrally located pistil nthat may be formed
of a single female unit or a flower that contains only the carpels.
(d) Bisexual flower - A flower which contains both stamen and carpels is called bisexual
or hermaphrodite.

Q.2 Distinguish between the following pairs:

(a) Flower and inflorescence,
(b) Petals and petaloid sepals.
(c) Polyandrus and Polyadephous androecium

Ans. (a) Flower : Flower is the reproductive part of the plant which is responsible for
gamete formation and fertilization.
Inflorescence: Inflorescence is the arrangement of flowers on the floral stem.
(b) Petals – Non-essential parts of the flower which help in protection of reproductive
parts or make the flower attractive for pollination.
Petaloid sepals – Sometimes sepals are undifferentiated. These taken together are called
perianth. When perianth is non-green, it is described as a petaloid.

(c) Polyyandrus – Collection of indefinite number of stamens in a flower as in Petunia.

While polyadelphous is a collection of stamens which has united filaments so that they are
arranged in three or were groups as in Bombax .

Q.3 Where are the following structure/ part located and what are their function?

(a) Placent
(b) Thalamus
(c) Anther
(d) Stigma

Ans. (a) Placenta – It is present inside the ovary. Its role is to attach ovules to ovary.
(b) Anther – It is present at the end of a stamen. Anther has poller sacs in which pollen
grains contain the male gametes.
(c) Thalamus – Pedicel (stalk) swells up at its tip to form a cup-shaped thalamus. All the
floral whorls arise from the thalamus.
(d) Stigma – It is the terminal knob-like part, it may be divided into two or more lobes and
assume a feathery appearance. The stigma is coved with hair or with glandular papillae. It
serves as the landing place grains for pollen during pollination.

Q.4 Why are the following describe as stated:

a) The androecium of pen flower is didelphous.
b) Ray florets of sunflower as neuters
c) Salvia sepals as petaloid
d) China rose stamens as epopetaloid.

Ans. (a) The androecium of pen flower is deidelphouse because the filaments are united in
two bundles.
(b) Ray florets of sunflower are neuters because both male and female reproductive are
lacking.
(c) Salvia sepals are petaloid as the hence, undifferentiated from the petals.
(d) China rose stamens are epipetaloid, as they arise from the base of the petals.
D. Long Answer Type

Q.1 Name the different type of androecium found in flowers.

Ans. Depending on the stamens being free or fused, four types of androecium in flowers
are : (i) Polyadelphousandrocium – The stamen may be free but filaments are united in
many groups. e.g. mustard.
(ii) Monadelphous and androecium- Anthers are free but filaments are united in one in one
group. e.g. china rose, pear, hibiscus.
(iii) Diadelphous androecium – Filaments are united in two bundles and the anthers
remains free e.g. pea, gram, beans.
(iv) Syngenesious androecium – Filaments are free but the anthers are united e.g.
sunflower.

Q.2. Name the type of the androecium found in

(a) China rose,
(b) Bombax
(c) pea

Ans. (a) China –rose – The type of androceum found is Monadelphous (b) Bombax – The
type of androceum found is Polyadelphous (c) Pea – The type of androceum found is
Diadelphous

E. Structure / Application / Skill Type

Q.1. The figure give alongside represents generalised arrangement of the different
parts of a bisexual flower. Name the parts number 1- 10.

Ans. The parts labeled from 1 to 10 are as follows:

1.Anther
6. Style
2. Filament
7. Ovary
3. Ovule
8. Petal
4. Placenta
9. Sepal
5. Stigma
10. Receptacle

Q.2 Gives below are two figures (A & B) of the certain part of flower. Study the figure
carefully and answer the following question:
a) Which major organ of a flower does the figure a represent? What is the collective
name of such organs?
b) Are the contents of the pollen sacs in B, male or female?
c) Can you guess how the contents of the pollen sacs would come out?

Ans.
a) Stamens, collective name Androecium.
b) Contents in the pollen sacs B, are male.
c) Through agents like-air, wind insects; leading to pollination.

Q.3 What are bracts ? State their function.

Ans. When a flower arises in the axil of a leaf- like structure, this structure is known as
bract. It may be green like leaves of colored as in case of Bougainvillea. Bract protects the
flower from pests and harsh weather. Some brightly coloured bracts pollinators. Some
bracts serve as insulators, protecting the delicate flower within from freezing weather.

Q.4 Explain the terms Monodephous. Didelphous and Polydelphous. In each case
name a flower possessing such as androecium.

Ans.(i) Monadelphous : The filaments are united in one group by their filaments. Only
anthers are free e.g., china rose (stamina tube), cotton.
(ii) Diadelphous : The filaments are united are in two bundles.e.g., pea (out of ten, nine
stamens from a stamina tube while one is free).
(ii) Polyadelphous : The fuilaments are united in several groups. e.g., Bombax.