Question

Which of the following is an asymmetrical flower?
A. Clitoria
B. Canna
C. Crotalaria
D. Hibiscus

Answer 1

Hint: The flowers are large and not considered true lily. They have broad flat leaves that can be green, maroon or variegated. Differences in size or shape of the parts of a whorl make the flower irregular.

Complete Answer:
- A flower is the reproductive part of a plant. It is defined as the brightly coloured part of a plant that provides the pollen that is transferred from plant to plant for pollination.
- Floral symmetry refers to whether or not a flower can be divided into its own mirror images. The flower can be either actinomorphic (radial) or zygomorphic (bilateral).
- A flower is said to be actinomorphic if it can be divided into two equal halves in any radial plane that passes through the centre. When it can only be split in one specific vertical plane into two identical parts, it is zygomorphic.
- A flower is asymmetric if it cannot be divided into two identical halves by any vertical plane going through the middle as in Canna.

A) Flowers of Clitoria are typically zygomorphic type with calyx consisting of five fused sepals and corolla with five free petals.
B) The flowers of canna are asymmetric and are composed of three sepals and three petals that are small, inconspicuous and hidden under extravagant stamens.
C) Crotolaria commonly known as rattle pods is bilaterally symmetrical.
D) Hibiscus has five petals and five sepals fused together. It shows radial symmetry or is said to be actinomorphic.

Thus, the correct answer is option B, Canna.

Note: The Petals of a flower define floral symmetry.When the petals of the corolla are of the same size and shape and equidistant from each other, the flower has radial symmetry and is called regular or actinomorphic. If at least one corolla petal is different, the floral symmetry is bilateral, and is called zygomorphic.