Question

The type of inflorescence in the compositae family is?
A. Capitulum
B. Vertcillaster
C. Cyathium
D. Hypanthodium

Answer 1

Hint: The flower part of a plant is the reproductive part of a plant, different types of flowers are found in different plants. The flowers are classified according to their arrangement, shape, and number of sepal and carpel.

Complete Answer:
- Inflorescence means arrangement of flowers in a plant, the flower is one of the most important part of the plant body, among all the other parts of the plants flower is the most attractive part because of it colour, beauty, and fragrance, therefore this part of plant is involved in pollination and reproduction process.
- The flowers are developed either as a group or as a single flower depends on the arrangement on its floral axis.
- The inflorescence is of two types; racemose and cymose.
(i) The racemose inflorescence is the type of inflorescence in which the branch of the flower is laterally on the floral axis. The flower grows in an acropetal pattern and the axis keeps on growing.
(ii) The cymose inflorescence is a type of inflorescence in which the flower is found in the terminating part of each floral axis. The flowers are developed in a basipetal pattern. Beside cymose and racemose one more type of inflorescence is found that is compound inflorescence. Compound inflorescence, the main axis forms once or twice branch in cymose or racemose manner.

Now, the compound inflorescence is further divided into; cyathium, verticillaster, hypanthodium, and capitulum.
(I) The cyathium is the flower which comprises cup-shaped involucres that has the nectar producing gland and the female flower covered inside the involucres, the male flower surrounds the female flower.
(II) The verticillaster is the flower arrangement in which the flower forms in a condense form with a cluster of sessile and sub-sessile flowers by forming a dichasial cyme.
(III) The hypanthodium is the flower arrangement in which the receptacle has an apical opening that is protected by the scales and forms a hollow cavity.
(IV) The capitulum is the flower arrangement in which the main axis is flat and considered as receptacle, it consists of many small and sessile florets.
The peripheral floret is termed as ray floret and are zygomorphic while the disc florets are actinomorphic and bisexual. Therefore, the type of inflorescence in the compositae family is capitulum.

Thus, the correct answer is ‘A’. Capitulum.

Note: The verticillaster type of inflorescence is found in Tulsi and salvia belongs to the family Lamiaceae. The cyathium type of inflorescence is found in Poinsettia, and the hypanthodium type of inflorescence is found in banyan trees.