Morphology of Flowering Plants

 Morphology is the branch of biology which deals with form, size, structure and relative position of various
organs of a living organism.
 Angiosperms are characterized by presence of roots, stems, leaves, flowers and fruits.
 The underground part of the flowering plant is the root system while the portion above the ground forms
the shoot system.
 The root is positively geotropic, negatively phototropic, and positively hydrotropic.
The Root:-
Roots are developed from Radicle of the embryo of a germinating seed. It is the non-green part of the plant which
grows below the ground.
Types of Root:
Tap Root Fibrous Root Adventitious Root
It develops from the radicle of an the primary root is short lived and is Roots develop from parts of the
embryo during seed germination is replaced by a large number of roots. plant other than the radicle
called a true root or tap root. These roots originate from the base
of the stem and constitute the
fibrous root
Its branches of first order are called These are clusters of slender, The primary root gets replaced by
secondary roots and branches of adventitious roots. many roots which originate from
secondary order are called tertiary the base the stem.
roots and so on.
Primary root + branches = tap root cluster of all equal sized roots roots may develop from the base of
the stem, nodes or from leaves.
Tap roots penetrate deep into Fibrous roots do not penetrate Adventitious roots do not
the soil. deep into the soil. penetrate deep into the soil.
 Dicotyledonous plants, Monocotyledonous plants
Example: Mustard plant, gram, pea, Example: wheat, paddy, grasses Example: Banyan tree (Prop roots),
mango Maize (Stilt roots), Rhizophora
(Respiratory roots)

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Regions of the Root:-
Regions Characters
Root Cap  The tender apex of the root is protected with a multicellular cap like
structure.
 The cells of the root cap secrete mucilage for lubricating the
passage of root through the soil.
 In many hydrophytes like Pistia and Eichhornia, root cap is replaced
by root pocket.
Region of cell division or  This is the growing part of the root and is protected by the root cap.
meristematic region  It is made up of thin walled, compactly arranged meristematic
cells which have the power of division.
 This region helps in longitudinal growth by the addition of new cells
Region of elongation  The cells of this region are newly formed and they elongate rapidly.
This increases the length of the root.
 The cells of this region help in the absorption of mineral salts.
 It lies just above the meristematic region.
Region of root hair or root  The root hairs are elongated, single celled, tubular structures which
absorption remain in contact with soil particles.
 Surface of this area is covered with numerous root hairs. cells of the
outer layer known as piliferous layer or epiblema produce root hair.
 The root hairs increase the surface area of absorption.
 They are short lived and are replaced by new root hairs after every
10 to 15 days and is responsible for absorption of water.
Region of maturation or cell  The enlarged cells undergo differentiation to form different types of
differentiation primary root tissue like cortex, endodermis, xylem, phloem, etc.
 This region helps in fixation of plant body into the soil and also in
conduction of absorbed substances.
 The outermost layer of this region has thick walled impermeable
cells.
 Lateral roots also develop from this region of the root.

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Modifications of Root:-
Roots are modified for support, storage of food, respiration.

Modifications Functions
Storage for Food  Fusiform (radish), Napiform (turnip), Conical (carrot).
 Sweet potato is a modified adventitious root which stores food.
 Carrot and radish are modified tap roots which store food.
For support  Prop roots in banyan tree, stilt roots in maize and sugarcane.
For respiration  pneumatophores in Rhizophora (Mangrove), Avicennia
Nodulated Roots  Secondary roots bear nodules which fix nitrogen. Example- Rhizobium
Modified for Vital Functions  Epiphytic roots- Orchids
 Assimilatory roots- Tinospora
 Parasitic roots- Cuscuta
 Floating roots- Jussiaea

The Stem:

 Stem is the aerial part of the plant and develops from plumule of the embryo. It bears nodes and internodes.
 It is usually negatively hydrotropic, negatively geotropic and positively phototropic.
 It bears a terminal bud and axillary buds in the axils of leaves, for growth.
Functions of Stem:
 Spreading out branches bearing leaves, flowers and fruits.
 Conducts water, minerals and photosynthesis (green young stem).
 Some stems perform the function of storage of food, support, protection and of vegetative propagation.
Modifications of stem:
Modifications Functions
For food storage Rhizome (ginger), Tuber (potato), Bulb (onion), Corm (colocasia)- all are
underground stem.
Areal Tendrils- Example- Passiflora
Bulbils- Example- Garlic
Thorns- Example- Citrus
Phylloclades- Example- Cactus
Sub-Areal Runner- Example- Oxalis
Stolon- Example-Strawberry
Offset- Example- Pistia

The Leaf:

 A leaf is a green, flattened structure which develops at the node of a stem.

 It develops exogenously at the node and bears a bud in its axil - the axillary bud, which later develops into a
branch.
 Leaves originate from shoot apical meristems and are arranged in an acropetal order.
 They are the most important vegetative organs for photosynthesis.

Parts of Leaf: A typical leaf consists of three main parts-

A. Leaf Base:
 The leaf is attached to the stem by the leaf base and may bear two lateral small leaf like structures
called stipules.
 In monocotyledons, the leaf base expands into a sheath covering the stem partially or wholly.
 In some leguminous plants the leaf base may become swollen, which is called the pulvinus.

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 B. Petiole:
 The petiole help hold the blade to light.
 Long thin flexible petioles allow leaf blades to flutter in wind, thereby cooling the leaf and bringing
fresh air to leaf surface.
C. Lamina:
 The lamina or the leaf blade is the green
expanded part of the leaf with veins and veinlets.
 There is, usually, a middle prominent vein, which
is known as the midrib.
 Veins provide rigidity to the leaf blade and act as
channels of transport for water, minerals and
food materials.

Venation- The arrangement of veins and the veinlets in the lamina of leaf is termed as venation.
Reticulate Parallel
When the veinlets form a network, the venation is When the veins run parallel to each other within a lamina,
termed as reticulate the venation is termed as parallel
Leaves of dicotyledonous plants generally possess parallel venation is the characteristic of most
reticulate venation monocotyledons.

Types of Leaves:

Types Features
Simple when lamina of a leaf is entire or when incised, the incisions do not touch the
midrib. e.g., Mango, Peepal, Papaya, etc.
Compound When the incisions of the lamina reach up to the midrib breaking it into a
number of leaflets, the leaf is called compound. The leaflets never bear axillary
buds in their axil.
It is of two types:
1. pinnately compound-
 a number of leaflets are present on a common axis, the rachis,
which represents the midrib of the leaf. e.g., neem.
2. Palmately compound-
 the leaflets are attached at a common point, i.e., at the tip of
petiole. i.e., silk cotton

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Fig: Compound leaves: (a) pinnately compound leaf (b) palmately compound leaf

Phyllotaxy:

Phyllotaxy is the pattern of arrangement of leaves on the stem or branch.

Alternate type Opposite type Whorled type

a single leaf arises at each node a pair of leaves arise at each node If more than two leaves arise
in alternate manner. e.g., China and lie opposite to each other. e.g., at a node and form a whorl, it is
rose, Mustard and Sun flower Calotropis and Guava called whorled. e.g., Alstonia

Different types of phyllotaxy : (a) Alternate (b) Opposite (c) Whorled

Modifications of Leaves:
Modifications Features
For support Tendrils- Some parts of a leaf or the entire leaf is modified into long, slender,
wiry tendrils which coil around the support and help the plant to climb. e.g., Pisum
sativum
For defence Spines- Leaves are modified into spines which help plants to reduce transpiration
in dry habitats and for protection. e.g., cactus, Yucca
For food storage The fleshy leaves of onion and garlic.
Reproductive leaves Some plants, like Bryophyllum daigremontianum, produce plantlets along the margins
of its leaves. Eventually the new plants fall off and become separate from the main
plant. This is an example of asexual reproduction. The new plants are identical to the
mother plant.
Insectivorous plants These are plants that depend on insects for nutrition. Their leaves are modified to
attract and attack insects towards the plant.
 In the Pitcher plant (Nepenthes) petiole is modified into a tendril to
hold the pitcher upright. The leaf base is enlarged to carry out
photosynthesis and the leaf apex is changed into a lid.
 Venus Fly Trap (Dionaea muscipula) is also an insectivorous plant
that has a winged, green petiole that also performs photosynthesis.
The lamina of this plant is bilobed and the midrib acts like a link
between the two lobes of the lamina.
THE INFLORESCENCE:

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The arrangement of flowers on the floral axis is termed as inflorescence.
 A flower is a modified shoot wherein the shoot apical meristem changes to floral meristem. Internodes do
not elongate and the axis gets condensed.
 The apex produces different kinds of floral appendages laterally at successive nodes instead of leaves.
 When a shoot tip transforms into a flower, it is always solitary .
 Depending on whether the apex gets developed into a flower or continues to grow, two major types of
inflorescences are defined
Racemose Cymose
the main axis continues to grow the main axis terminates in a flower, hence is limited
in growth
the flowers are borne laterally in an acropetal The flowers are borne in a basipetal order
succession i.e. older flowers are at the base and
younger ones are towards the apex.

e.g, Radish, Mustard, Amaranthus e.g, Cotton, Jasmine, Calotropis

The Flower:
 A flower is modified shoot. It is a reproductive unit in angiosperms.
 A typical flower has four different kinds of whorls (calyx, corolla, androecium and gynoecium) arranged
successively on the swollen end of the stalk or pedicel, called thalamus or receptacle.
 Calyx and corolla are accessory organs, while androecium and gynoecium are reproductive organs.
 In some flowers like lily, the calyx and corolla are not distinct and are termed as perianth.

Types of Flower

1. Based on presence or absence of reproductive parts- androecium, gynoecium

Unisexual Bisexual
A flower having either only stamens or only carpels is When a flower has both androecium and gynoecium, it is
unisexual. bisexual

2. Based on Symmetry
Actinomorphic (radial symmetry) Zygomorphic (bilateral symmetry) Asymmetric(irregular)
When a flower can be divided into When it can be divided into two if it cannot be divided into two similar
two equal radial halves in any radial similar halves only in one particular halves by any vertical plane passing
plane passing through the centre vertical plane through the centre
E.g., mustard, Datura, chilli E.g., pea, gulmohur, bean, Cassia E.g., canna

3. Based on presence or absence of Bracts (reduced leaf like structure found at the base of the pedicel)
Bracteate Ebracteate
Flowers with bracts are called bracteate. E.g., China Flowers without bracts are called ebracteate. E.g.,
rose, tulip, lily Mustard

4. On the basis of Floral appendages-

A flower may be trimerous, tetramerous or pentamerous when the floral appendages are in multiple of 3, 4 or 5,
respectively.

5. On the basis of position of calyx, corolla, androecium with respect of ovary

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 Hypogynous Perigynous Epigynous
The gynoecium occupies the highest The gynoecium is situated in the the margin of thalamus grows upward
position while the other parts are centre and other parts of the flower enclosing the ovary completely and
situated below it are located on the rim of the getting fused with it, the other parts
thalamus almost at the same level of flower arise above the ovary
The ovary is said to be superior The ovary here is said to be half The ovary is said to be inferior
inferior
E.g., mustard, china rose and brinjal E.g., plum, rose, peach E.g., guava and cucumber, and the ray
florets of sunflower

Fig: (a) Hypogynous (b) and (c) Perigynous (d) Epigynous

Parts of Flower:
Each flower normally has four floral whorls, viz., calyx, corolla, androecium and gynoecium.
A. Calyx (Sepal)-
 The calyx is the outermost whorl of the flower and the members are called sepals.
 Generally, sepals are green, leaf like and protect the flower in the bud stage.
 The calyx may be gamosepalous (sepals united) or polysepalous (sepals free).
B. Corolla (Petals)-
 Corolla is composed of petals. Petals are usually brightly coloured to attract insects for pollination.
 Like calyx, corolla may also be gamopetalous (petals united) or polypetalous (petals free).
 Corolla may be tubular, bell shaped, funnel-shaped or wheel-shaped.
C. Androecium (Stamens) –
 Androecium is composed of stamens.
 Each stamen which represents the male reproductive organ consists of a stalk or a filament and an
anther.
 Each anther is usually bilobed and each lobe has two chambers, the pollen-sacs.
 The pollen grains are produced in pollen-sacs.
 A sterile stamen is called staminode.
 When stamens are attached to the petals, they are called epipetalous. e.g., brinjal.
 When stamens are attached to the perianth, they are called epiphyllous. e.g., lily.
 There may be a variation in the length of filaments within a flower, as in Salvia and mustard
 Fusion of stamen-
a. The stamens in a flower may either remain free= polyandrous
b. The stamens may be united into one bunch or one bundle = Monoadelphous = china rose
c. If the stamens are united into two bundles = Diadelphous. = pea.
d. If the stamens are united into more than two bundles = Polyadelphous= citrus
D. Gynoecium (Carpels/Pistils) –
 Gynoecium is the female reproductive part of the flower and is made up of one or more carpels.
 A carpel consists of three parts namely stigma, style and ovary.
 Ovary is the enlarged basal part, on which lies the elongated tube, the style.
 The style connects the ovary to the stigma. The stigma is usually at the tip of the style and is the receptive
surface for pollen grains.

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  Each ovary bears one or more ovules attached to a flattened, cushion-like placenta.
 Types of Gynoecium-
a. Monocarpellary – when only one carpel is present
b. Multicarpellary – When more than one carpel is present.
i. Apocarpous – if carpels are free. e.g., lotus and rose.
ii. Syncarpous – when carpels are fused. e.g., mustard and tomato.

 After fertilisation, the ovules develop into seeds and the ovary matures into a fruit.

Special Features:
A. Aestivation: The mode of arrangement of sepals or petals in floral bud with respect to the other members of the
same whorl is known as aestivation. Following types of aestivation can be found in flowering plants.
Valvate Twisted Imbricate Vexillary (papilionaceous)
When sepals or petals in a If one margin of the If the margins of sepals or there are five petals, the
whorl just touch one appendage overlaps that of petals overlap one another largest (standard) overlaps
another at the margin, the next one and so on but not in any particular the two lateral petals
without overlapping direction (wings) which in turn
overlap the two smallest
anterior petals (keel)
e.g., Calotropis e.g., china rose, lady’s e.g., Cassia and gulmohur e.g., Pea, Bean.
finger and cotton

B. Placentation: The arrangement of ovules within the ovary is known as placentation.

Types Characters
Marginal the placenta forms a ridge along the ventral suture of the ovary and the ovules are
borne on this ridge forming two rows. e.g., pea.
Axial When the placenta is axial and the ovules are attached to it in a multilocular ovary.
e.g., china rose, tomato and lemon.
Parietal the ovules develop on the inner wall of the ovary or on peripheral part. Ovary is one-
chambered but it becomes two chambered due to the formation of the false septum
e.g., mustard and Argemone
Basal the placenta develops at the base of ovary and a single ovule is attached to it. e.g.,
sunflower, marigold
Free Central When the ovules are borne on central axis and septa are absent. e.g., Dianthus and
Primrose

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 Fig: Placentation: (a) Marginal (b) Axile (c) Parietal (d) Free central (e) Basal

The Fruit:

 The fruit is a characteristic feature of the flowering plants.

 It is a mature or ripened ovary, developed after fertilisation.
 If a fruit is formed without fertilisation of the ovary, it is called a parthenocarpic fruit.
 Generally, the fruit consists of a wall or pericarp and seeds. The pericarp may be dry or fleshy.
 When pericarp is thick and fleshy, it is differentiated into the outer epicarp, the middle mesocarp and the
inner endocarp.
 Drupe Fruit - In mango and coconut.
They develop from monocarpellary superior ovaries and are one seeded. In mango the pericarp is well
differentiated into an outer thin epicarp, a middle fleshy edible mesocarp and an inner stony hard endocarp.
In coconut the mesocarp is fibrous.

Fig: Parts of a fruit: (a) Mango (b) Coconut

The Seed:

 The ovules after fertilisation, develop into seeds.

 A seed is made up of a seed coat and an embryo.
 The embryo is made up of a radicle, an embryonal axis and one (as in wheat, maize) or two cotyledons (as in
gram and pea).

Structure of Monocotyledon and Dicotyledon seeds:

Monocotyledonous seed Dicotyledonous seed

 Seed Coat – In the seeds of cereals such as maize the  The outermost covering of a seed is the
seed coat is membranous and generally fused with the seed coat. The seed coat has two layers,
fruit wall, called Hull. the outer testa and the inner tegmen.
 Endosperm – The endosperm is bulky and stores food.  The hilum is a scar on the seed coat
Generally, monocotyledonous seeds are endospermic through which the developing seeds
but some as in orchids are non-endospermic. were attached to the fruit.
 Aleuron layer – The outer covering of endosperm  Above the hilum is a small pore called
separates the embryo by a proteinous layer called the micropyle.
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 aleurone layer.  Within the seed coat is the embryo,
 Embryo – The embryo is small and situated in a groove consisting of an embryonal axis and two
at one end of the endosperm. cotyledons.
 Scutellum – one large and shield shaped cotyledon  The cotyledons are often fleshy and full
known as scutellum of reserve food materials.
 Embryonal axis – embryo ends are known as plumule  At the two ends of the embryonal axis
and radicle. are present the radicle and the plumule.
 Coleoptile and coleorhiza – The plumule and radicle  In some seeds such as castor the
are enclosed in sheaths which are called endosperm formed as a result of double
coleoptile and coleorhiza respectively. fertilisation, is a food storing tissue and
called endospermic seeds.
 In plants such as bean, gram and pea,
the endosperm is not present in mature
seeds and such seeds are called non-
endospermous.

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Description of some important families:

SOLANACEAE

Characters Features
Vegetative Characters Plants mostly herbs, shrubs and rarely small trees.
Habitat – It is widely distributed in tropics, subtropics and even
temperate zones.
It is a large family, commonly called as the ‘potato family’.
Stem: herbaceous rarely woody, aerial; erect, cylindrical, branched,
solid or hollow, hairy or glabrous, underground stem in potato
(Solanum tuberosum)
Leaves: alternate, simple, rarely pinnately compound, exstipulate;
venation reticulate

Floral Characters Inflorescence : Solitary, axillary or cymose as in Solanum

Flower: bisexual, actinomorphic
Calyx: sepals five, united, persistent, valvate aestivation
Corolla: petals five, united; valvate aestivation
Androecium: stamens five, epipetalous
Gynoecium: bicarpellary obligately placed, syncarpous; ovary superior,
bilocular, placenta swollen with many ovules, axile
Fruits: berry or capsule
Seeds: many, endospermous

Floral Formula:
Economic Importance  source of food (tomato, brinjal,potato),
 spice (chilli);
 medicine (belladonna, ashwagandha);
 fumigatory (tobacco);
 ornamentals (petunia).

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For NEET
Family: Fabeaceae

Characters Features
Vegetative Characters This family was earlier called Papilonoideae, a subfamily of family
Leguminosae.
Habitat – It is distributed all over the world
Trees, shrubs, herbs;
Root with root nodules;
Stem: erect or climber;
Leaves: alternate, pinnately compound or simple; leaf base, pulvinate;
stipulate; venation reticulate.
Floral Characters Inflorescence: racemose
Flower: bisexual, zygomorphic
Calyx: sepals five, gamosepalous; imbricate aestivation
Corolla: petals five, polypetalous, papilionaceous, consisting of a
posterior standard, two lateral wings, two anterior ones forming a keel
(enclosing stamens and pistil), vexillary aestivation
Androecium: ten, diadelphous, anther dithecous
Gynoecium: ovary superior, mono carpellary, unilocular with many
ovules, style single
Fruit – legume.
Seed – one to many, non-endospermic.
Floral Formula-

Economic Importance pulses(gram, arhar, sem, moong, soyabean)

edible oil (soyabean, groundnut)
dye (indigofera)
fibres (sunhemp)
fodder (Sesbania, Trifolium),
ornamentals (lupin, sweet pea);
medicine (muliathi).

Family: Liliaceae

Characters Features
Vegetative Characters Commonly called the ‘Lily family’.
It is a characteristic representative of monocotyledonous plants.
Perennial herbs with underground bulbs/corms/ Rhizomes
Leaves mostly basal, alternate, linear, exstipulate with parallel venation
Floral Characters Inflorescence: solitary / cymose; often umbellate clusters
Flower: bisexual; actinomorphic
Perianth: tepal six (3+3), often united into tube; valvate aestivation
Androcium: stamen six, (3+3)
Gynoecium: tricarpellary, syncarpous, ovary superior, trilocular with
many ovules; axile placentation
Fruit – capsule, rarely berry
Seed – endospermous

Floral Formula-
Economic Importance Ornamentals (tulip, Gloriosa), Medicine (Aloe), Vegetables (Asparagus)
Colchicine (Colchicum autumnale)

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