Define the term inflorescence. Explain the basis for the different types of inflorescence in flowering plants.

Ans: Flowering plants (angiosperms) have flowers as their reproductive unit.
Angiosperms reproduce sexually through flowers.
• Flowers are usually modified stems with condensed axes. There are four concentric
lobes on a flower.
• Calyxes, corollas, androecium, and gynoecium make up the four whorls of the flower,
from outside to inside. • On flowers, the androecium represents the male reproductive whorl and the gynoecium
represents the female reproductive whorl.
• An example of a bisexual flower is one with both androecium and gynoecium, while a
unisexual flower only has gynoecium.
• There is usually a distinct corolla and calyx, but they can be fused (called perianth).
All four parts of a flower are known as a complete flower. A. Calyx: The calyx is made up of sepals in the outer whorl of the flower. At the buds
stage, they serve as a protective covering. An open flower’s sepals are known as
polysepalous, whereas flowers with fusions of sepals are known as gamosepalous.
In addition to being photosynthetic, sepals are also green in color. B. Corolla: The flower whorl is the part of the flower that lies toward the inner side of
the calyx. Individual petals of the corolla are brightly colored and help attract
insects for pollination. The condition in which the petals are fused is called
gamosepalous, and the condition with free petals is known as polypetalous.
C. An androecium or stamen is a yellow or red shaped male reproductive organ. A
filament and a bilobed anther constitute the filament. Anthers bilobeds produce
pollen grain and undergo meiosis. One connective connects the two anther lobes.
D. The gynoecium represents the female reproductive branch of a flower. A female
ovary is present in the body. An ovary is connected to the stigma via a long tube
(called a style).
Numerous ovules form an attachment to the placenta at the ovary.