Question

Spadix inflorescence is a characteristic feature of?
a. Colocasia
b. Palm
c. Banana
d. All the above

Answer 1

Hint: Inflorescence is defined as a group of flowers, which are arranged on the stem, this is composed of the main branch or any complicated arrangement of branches, and morphologically, the inflorescence is the modified part of the shoot, and the modifications may involve the length or nature of internodes, etc.

Complete answer:
mainly inflorescence are of the following types
Spadix inflorescence comes under racemose type.
(I)Racemose (II) Cymose (III) Special type

Racemose is classified into the following types
- Raceme: it is having an elongated axis that bears pedicellate flowers, for example, Radish, mustard.
- Spike: it is similar to raceme but flowers do not have pedicel or stalks, for example, Amarnath, latjira.
- Catkin: it is nothing but spike with unisexual flowers, examples: Mulberry, birch.
- Spadix: it is a spike with a fleshy axis enclosed by one or more bracts, this is a modification of spike, and the bracts are mainly colored and mostly present in monocots, examples: colocasia, palm, and banana, etc.
- Corymb: the axis is short where lower flowers have longer pedicels than upper flowers, so all flowers come to the same level, an example is a candytuft.
- Umbel: The axis is short with a cluster of pedicellate flowers arising from a common point or single point, an example is a coriander.
- Head or capitulum: Here the main axis is flattened more or less like convex where the flowers are sessile, the example is mimosa pudica.

Cymose type of inflorescence the main axis is terminated with a flower and the lateral axis is developed which in turn terminates with a flower.
Here the flowers are either pedicellate or sessile.
Based on the number of lateral axes the Cymose is classified as
- Monochasial
- Dichasial
- Polychasial

Special types include
- Hypanthodium: The main axis is a cup-shaped receptacle with an opening at the top and flowers are enclosed in a cup.
- Cyathium: Here involucre forms a cup where there is a single female flower surrounded by male flowers.
- Verticillaster: The first axis terminates into flower and branches form below it in an alternative manner and flowers here are sessile and appear as clusters at the node.

Hence, the correct answer is option (D).

Note: In the spadix inflorescence, numerous sessile flowers are arranged, and the arrangement is in an acropetal manner, in a compound spadix, it is branched and branches bear flowers, the female flowers are present at the base and male flowers are present at the top.