Question

What Is Head Inflorescence?

Answer 1

Hint: We can define inflorescence as the arrangement of flowers on the floral axis. In a plant, flowers may grow either as a single flower or as a group. The inflorescence is basically the arrangement of a cluster of flowers on a floral axis. It can be of different types such as racemose, cymose, compound, cyathium, verticillaster or hypanthodium.

Complete answer:
The stem holding the whole inflorescence is called a peduncle. A flower that is not a part of an inflorescence is called a solitary flower and its stalk is also called a peduncle.

Head capitulum is a short dense spike where the flowers are directly borne on a flat, broad peduncle imparting the inflorescence which appears as a single flower. It is a very contracted raceme in which the single sessile flowers are borne on an enlarged stem. It is characteristic of Dipsacaceae. The family Asteraceae is characterized by a highly specialized head which is technically called a calathid but usually referred to as capitulum or head.

Inflorescences can be described by many different characteristics like how the flowers are arranged on the peduncle, the blooming order of the flowers and how different clusters of flowers are grouped within it. These terms are general representations as plants in nature and can have a combination of types. These structural types are based on natural selection.

The diagram below shows a flower with Head Inflorescence

Note: The fruiting stage of an inflorescence is called an infructescence. Inflorescences may be simple like single or complex. We can also define an inflorescence as the reproductive portion of a plant that bears a cluster of flowers in a specific pattern. Morphologically, inflorescence is the modified part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed.