Question

A flask-shaped fleshy receptacle enclosing both the types of flowers is present in?
(A) Cyathium
(B) Hypanthodium
(C) Coenanthium
(D) Spadix

Answer 1

Hint: Inflorescence is the arrangement of flowers in a plant. This inflorescence is box-shaped and it is also called Syconium.

Complete step by step answer: A flower is a modified shoot, wherein the shoot apical meristem changes to floral meristem. The arrangement of flowers on the floral axis is termed as ‘Inflorescence’. It may be simple (single) or complex (panicle). The rachis may be one of several types; including single, composite, umbel, spike or raceme.
A. Cyathium is one of the specialized pseudanthias (false flowers) forming the inflorescence of plants in the genus Euphorbia. They surround clusters of small, greenish, cup-shaped structures called Cyathia. Each cyathium is actually a flower cluster or inflorescence containing unisexual, apetalous male and female flowers.
B. ‘Hypanthodium’ or ‘Syconium’ is a box-like inflorescence, where the box is formed by the fleshy receptacle. It opens to the exterior by a single pore called ‘ostiole’. The hollow pear-shaped fleshy receptacle encloses a number of minute male and female flowers, it becomes fleshy and forms the fruit. The flowers are developed on an inner wall of the hollow cavity.
C. Coenanthium is the inflorescence with flat receptacles with slightly upcurved margins.
For example Dorsteni.
D. Spadix is the characteristic inflorescence of the remarkable arum family (Araceae). It consists of a thickened, fleshy axis(spike) bearing clusters of sessile, apetalous, unisexual flowers.
Hence, the correct answer is option B.

Note: There are many types of inflorescence but the most common ones encountered are as follows: Compound, Verticillaster, Perigynous, Hypogynous, etc. But, there are two main inflorescences:
racemose Inflorescence (floral axis keeps on growing and the flowers develop in an acropetal pattern) and cymose Inflorescence (flowers follow the basipetal pattern of growth).