Inflorescence is the arrangement and distribution of flowers on the

CONCEPT INFLORESCENCE
shoot system of a plant. The axis of the inflorescence is called
peduncle, whereas the stalk of individual flower is called pedicel. A
flattened peduncle is known as receptacle. Inflorescence is of five

MAP types- solitary, racemose, cymose, mixed and special.

Solitary
terminal
Single flower occurs on
the terminal part of a
branch, e.g., poppy.
Solitary
axillary
Single flower occurs in
the axil of a leaf, e.g.,
Petunia, China rose.
Compound
racemose
Compound racemose inflorescence is an
indefinite or indeterminate inflorescence in
which the peduncle is branched repeatedly once
or twice in a racemose fashion. It is of following
types–
Solitary (a) Compound raceme or panicle, e.g., goldmohur,
Flowers occur singly or are Cassia fistula, Yucca.
separated from other flowers (b) Compound spike or spike of spikelets, e.g., wheat.
of the same plant by (c) Compound spadix, e.g., coconut, date, banana.
vegetative regions. (d) Compound corymb, e.g., Pyrus, cauliflower.
(e) Compound umbel, e.g., Daucus carota,
fennel, Coriandrum sativum.
(f ) Compound capitulum, e.g.,
Echinops.
Solitary
axillary

Racemose
It is an indeterminate inflorescence
which shows indefinite growth. The Catkin
arrangement of flowers is either
Dichasial
acropetal (vertical orientation of
cyme Polychasial cyme axis) or centripetal
(horizontal orientation
Cymose of axis).
A determinate inflore - Spike
scence in which the tip of main Raceme
axis terminates in a flower and further Umbel
Helicoid growth continues by one or more lateral
cyme Cymose branches. The arrange-ment of flowers is
head
either basipetal (vertical orientation Simple
of axis) or centrifugal Raceme
(horizontal orientation of
racemose Peduncle is elongated having
Simple racemose inflore- pedicellate flowers in an acropetal
axis).
Cymose scence is an indefinite fashion, e.g., Lupinus, Raphanus,
inflorescence in which Linaria.
head the peduncle is
Sessile or subsessile flowers unbranched.
are borne centrifugally Spike
around a receptacle, e.g., An elongated peduncle bears sessile
Albizzia, Anthocephalus Scapigerous flowers in an acropetal fashion, e.g.,
Umbel
cadamba, Acacia. Head All the pedicellate flowers arise from a single Achyranthes, Callistemon, Adhatoda
The leafless flowering axis point in a centripetal fashion. The peduncle is vasica.
known as scape bears clusters very much reduced, e.g., Hydrocotyle, Prunus.
of flowers that form a head
which is covered by spaths, Spikelet

With long peduncle

With short peduncle

Biparous or e.g., Allium cepa. Corymb Spikelets are small and few flowered
Dichasial cyme The main axis is comparatively short, and the spikes which are surrounded at the
A terminal flower is subtended lower flowers have much longer pedicels than base by two scales or glumes, e.g.,
by two lateral branches which the upper ones so that all the flowers are brought rice, bamboo, oat, etc.
also end in flowers. The process is more or less to the same level, e.g., Iberis amara .
repeated. Inflorescence axis is Catkin
multipodial, e.g., Spergula, Multiparous Corymbose raceme Pendulous spike which bears naked
Stellaria media, The young flowers appear to be arranged like a
Clerodendrum.
or Polychasial cyme pistillate or staminate flowers, (but
More than two lateral branches corymb but in mature state the longer pedicels not both) e.g., mulberry, poplar, Salix,
continue the growth of of the lower flowers do not bring them to the Quercus.
inflorescence when the parent level of upper ones, e.g., mustard.
axis ends in a flower, e.g.,
Spadix
With flattened

Uniparous or Hamelia, Calotropis, Capitulum

peduncle

Asclepias. The flattened receptacle bears numerous sessile Spike with fleshy peduncle and
Monochasial cyme and small florets (ray florets and disc florets) in a having both male and female flowers.
A single lateral branch arises from the centripetal manner, e.g., Zinnia, Sunflower, Cosmos. It is surrounded by a large green or
peduncle of old flower which terminates coloured bract called spathe, e.g.,
in a flower. The lateral branch also palm, Colocasia, Musa.
terminates in a flower. It is of two types:
(a) Helicoid cyme – All the flowers are borne Cyathium
on the same side forming a sort of helix, e.g., The inflorescence looks like a
Drosera, Begonia, Myosotis. flower. The bracts or the involucre
(b) Scorpioid cyme - Flowers are become fused to form a cup shaped
Hypanthodium
alternately borne on both the sides, structure. The inflorescence contains It has a flask-shaped fleshy
e.g., Tecoma, Ranunculus, pedicellate, achlamydeous, unisexual receptacle which possesses a
Heliotropium. flowers of both the types, male and narrow apical opening guarded by
female. The cup encloses a single hairy structure. The receptacle bears
female flower surrounded by a male flowers towards the pore and
large number of male flowers. female flowers towards the
E.g., Euphorbia Hypanthodium base. E.g., Ficus religiosa,
Mixed pulcherrima. Ficus carica.
Two or more t ypes of
inflorescences get mixed up to
form a mixed inflorescences. It is of
following types:
(a) Panicle of spikelets, e.g., oat, rice. Cyathium Verticillaster
(b) Corymb of capitula, e.g., Ageratum Verticillaster
conyzoides. Two dichasial cyme inflore-
(c) U m b e l o f c a p i t u l a , scences develop from axil of
raceme of capitula. opposite leaves. They together
(d) Thyrsus, e.g., Special form a false whorl around the
grapevine. node, e.g., Ocimum, Leucus.