Morphology of Flowering Plants: Inflorescence Notes

🌿 Leaf Arrangement (Phyllotaxy)

What it is: How leaves line up on stems or branches.

3 Main Types:

  • Alternate Phyllotaxy: Single leaf per node, arranged alternately
    Examples: China rose 🌺, mustard, sunflower
  • Opposite Phyllotaxy: Two leaves per node, directly across from each other
    Examples: Calotropis, guava 🍐
  • Whorled Phyllotaxy: Three+ leaves per node, forming a circle
    Example: Alstonia

💐 Inflorescence (Flower Clusters)

What it is: How flowers arrange themselves on stems. Flowers are modified shoots 🌱➡️🌸

2 Main Types:

  • Racemose:
    • Main stem keeps growing upward 📈
    • Flowers bloom bottom-to-top (acropetal succession)
    • Looks like: Long stalk with side flowers
  • Cymose:
    • Main stem stops growing (ends with flower) ⛔
    • Flowers bloom top-to-bottom (basipetal order)
    • Examples: Jasmine 🌼, bougainvillea

🌟 NEET Must-Know Concepts

  1. Phyllotaxy patterns (alternate/opposite/whorled) with examples
  2. Racemose vs. cymose inflorescence growth patterns
  3. Flower development = modified shoots with condensed axes
  4. Acropetal (raceme) vs. basipetal (cyme) flowering order

Keep growing your knowledge – you’re doing great! 🌻✨