Question

What is a solitary flower?

Answer 1

Hint: The meaning of solitary is alone or single. The mode of arrangement of flowers on a specialized branch on the top of the plant which bears flowers is called an inflorescence. The axis of the inflorescence is called the peduncle.

Complete step by step answer:
When a flower is not a part of an inflorescence, such a flower is called a solitary flower. The solitary flowers are always present at a specific position of the plant. The flower appears singly or separated from other flowers due to dense vegetative regions. An example of a solitary flower is Hibiscus rosa-sinensis.
- The term floret is used for any small flower that is borne in a tight cluster, such as in a pseudanthium.
- The highly modified shoot meant essentially for the sexual reproduction of the plant is called flower.
- A flower is generally borne on the lateral side of the peduncle at the node in the axil of the leaf- like a structure called a bract.

- The bract protects the flower in its bud condition, A flower arising in the axil of the bract is called bracteates and if the bract is absent at the base of the flower, called ebracteate.
- The stalk of the flower is called a pedicel, which exposes the flower in a favorable position for pollination and the flower is called a pedicellate. If the pedicel is absent the flower is called sessile.

Note: When solitary flowers are borne at the tips of branches or main stem, they are described as solitary terminal, for an example- poppy plant. On the other hand, the solitary flower may be borne in the axil of the foliage leaf and are termed as solitary axillary, example- Garden Nasturtium and China rose.