Question

What type of inflorescence is seen below?

Answer 1

Hint: The flowers are borne either singly or in clusters on the shoot. When the shoot tip transforms into a flower, it is always solitary. The arrangements of flowers on the floral axis of the plants are known as inflorescence.

Complete answer:
The arrangement of flowers on the floral axis is known as inflorescence. Different plants show different types of inflorescence. It is one of the identifying features of the family to which it belongs.The flowers can be arranged in different ways, depending upon whether the shoot apex continues to grow or convert into a flower.

There are two major types of inflorescence that can occur.
(I) Racemose: in racemose inflorescence the shoot axis continues to grow indefinitely and the flowers are borne in an Acropetal succession that is, younger flowers are present toward the Apex and the older flowers are present at the base. Example radish, lupin, mustard.
2) Cymose: in cymose Inflorescence, the main axis the peduncle terminates into a flower and hence has a limited growth. In cymose inflorescence the flowers are borne in a Basipetal order. Eg in begonia, teak, bougainvillea, Dianthus, sollanum.

In the figure given it is racemose inflorescence as younger flowers are present at the apex and older at the base.

Note: Other than racemose and cymose, plants show a special type of inflorescence. Verticillaster is a special type of inflorescence. In this a cluster of sessile or subsessile flowers borne on a dichasial cyme ending in monochasial cyme in the form of a condensed whorl on either side of the node. e.g. osmium.