Question

Verticillaster inflorescence occurs in?
(A) Lamiaceae / Labiatae
(B) Brassicaceae / Cruciferae
(C) Compositae / Asteraceae
(D) Solanaceae

Answer 1

Hint: Verticillaster inflorescence is an inflorescence in which the flowers are arranged in a seeming whorl, consisting of a pair of opposite axillary.

Complete Answer:
- An inflorescence is a group or cluster of a flower arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Verticillaster inflorescence is a condensed form of dichansial (biporous) cyme with a cluster of sessile or sub-sessile flowers in the axil of a leaf, forming a flat whorl of flower at the node.
- Verticillaster inflorescence occurs in Labiatae. Verticillaster inflorescence is an inflorescence in which the flowers are arranged in a seeming whorl, consisting in fact of a pair of opposite axillary, usually sessile cymes as in many minutes. A Verticillaster is a fascicle with the structure of a dichasium. It is common among the lamiaceae.
- Many Verticillaster with reduced bracts can form a spicate (spike-like) inflorescence that is commonly called a spike.
- The entire inflorescence appears like a cluster of sessile flowers forming a false whorl at the node.
Example- Leucas linifolia, leonurus Sibiricus etc. of lamiaceae. This is a distinguished character of the family lamiaceae.

Hence the correct answer is option ‘A’.

Note: Verticillaster inflorescence is a special type of cymose inflorescence. The cymose inflorescence is characterized by the presence of a flower by the apex of the flower axis. The growth of the main axis is limited and the lateral axis also terminates into flower and that limits the growth of the axis.