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Flower

A '''flower''', sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproduction|reproductive structure found in flowering plants (plants of the division Magnoliophyta, also called angiosperms). The biological function of a flower is to mediate the union of male sperm with female ovum in order to produce seeds. The process begins with pollination, is followed by fertilization, leading to the formation and dispersal of the seeds. For the higher plants, seeds are the next generation, and serve as the primary means by which individuals of a species are dispersed across the landscape. The grouping of flowers on a plant are called the inflorescence. In addition to serving as the reproductive organs of flowering plants, flowers have long been admired and used by humans, mainly to beautify their environment but also as a source of food.

Flower specialization and pollination

Each flower has a specific design which best encourages the transfer of its pollen. Cleistogamy|Cleistogamous flowers are self pollinated, after which, they may or may not open. Many Viola and some Salvia species are known to have these types of flowers. Entomophily|Entomophilous flowers attract and use insects, bats, birds or other animals to transfer pollen from one flower to the next. Flowers commonly have glands called nectaries on their various parts that attract these animals. Some flowers have patterns, called Nectar_guide|nectar guides, that show pollinators where to look for nectar. Flowers also attract pollinators by scent and color. Still other flowers use mimicry to attract pollinators. Some species of orchids, for example, produce flowers resembling female bees in color, shape, and scent. Flowers are also specialized in shape and have an arrangement of the stamens that ensures that pollen grains are transferred to the bodies of the pollinator when it lands in search of its attractant (such as nectar, pollen, or a mate). In pursuing this attractant from many flowers of the same species, the pollinator transfers pollen to the stigmas—arranged with equally pointed precision—of all of the flowers it visits. Anemophily|Anemophilous flowers use the wind to move pollen from one flower to the next, examples include the grasses, Birch trees, Ragweed and Maples. They have no need to attract pollinators and therefore tend not to be "showy" flowers. Male and female reproductive organs are generally found in separate flowers, the male flowers having a number of long filaments terminating in exposed stamens, and the female flowers having long, feather-like stigmas. Whereas the pollen of entomophilous flowers tends to be large-grained, sticky, and rich in protein (another "reward" for pollinators), anemophilous flower pollen is usually small-grained, very light, and of little nutritional value to insects.

Morphology

Flowering plants are ''heterosporangiate'', producing two types of reproductive spores. The pollen (male spores) and ovules (female spores) are produced in different Organ (anatomy)|organs, but the typical flower is a ''bisporangiate strobilus'' in that it contains both organs. A flower is regarded as a modified Plant stem|stem with shortened internodes and bearing, at its node (botany)|nodes, structures that may be highly modified leaf|leaves.Eames, A. J. (1961) Morphology of the Angiosperms McGraw-Hill Book Co., New York. In essence, a flower structure forms on a modified shoot or ''axis'' with an apical meristem that does not grow continuously (growth is ''determinate''). Flowers may be attached to the plant in a few ways. If the flower has no stem but forms in the axil of a leaf, it is called sessile. When one flower is produced, the stem holding the flower is called a peduncle (botany)|peduncle. If the peduncle ends with groups of flowers, each stem that holds a flower is called a pedicel (botany)|pedicel. The flowering stem forms a terminal end which is called the ''torus'' or receptacle. The parts of a flower are arranged in whorls on the torus. The four main parts or whorls (starting from the base of the flower or lowest node and working upwards) are as follows: Many flowers have important symbolic meanings in Western culture. The practice of assigning meanings to flowers is known as floriography. Some of the more common examples include:
- Red roses are given as a symbol of love, beauty, and passion.
- Poppy|Poppies are a symbol of consolation in time of death. In the United Kingdom|UK, New Zealand, Australia and Canada, red poppies are worn to commemorate soldiers who have died in times of war.
- Iris (plant)|Irises/Lily are used in burials as a symbol referring to "resurrection/life". It is also associated with stars (sun) and its petals blooming/shining.
- Asteraceae|Daisies are a symbol of innocence. Flowers within art are also representative of the female genitalia, as seen in the works of artists such as Georgia O'Keefe, Imogen Cunningham, Veronica Ruiz de Velasco, and Judy Chicago, and in fact in Asian and western classical art. Many cultures around the world have a marked tendency to associate flowers with female|femininity. The great variety of delicate and beautiful flowers has inspired the works of numerous poets, especially from the 18th-19th century Romantic poetry|Romantic era. Famous examples include William Wordsworth's ''I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud'' and William Blake's ''Ah! Sun-Flower''. Because of their varied and colorful appearance, flowers have long been a favorite subject of visual artists as well. Some of the most celebrated paintings from well-known painters are of flowers, such as Vincent van Gogh|Van Gogh's sunflowers (series of paintings)|sunflowers series or Claude Monet|Monet's water lilies. Flowers are also dried, freeze dried and pressed in order to create permanent, three-dimensional pieces of flower art. The Roman goddess of flowers, gardens, and the season of Spring is Flora (goddess)|Flora. The Greek goddess of spring, flowers and nature is Chloris. In Hindu mythology, flowers have a significant status. Vishnu, one of the three major gods in the Hindu system, is often depicted standing straight on a lotus flower.Vishnu Apart from the association with Vishnu, the Hindu tradition also considers the lotus to have spiritual significance.Hinduism Today: God's Favorite Flower For example, it figures in the Hindu stories of creation.The Lotus

Usage

In modern times, people have sought ways to cultivate, buy, wear, or otherwise be around flowers and blooming plants, partly because of their agreeable appearance and odor|smell. Around the world, people use flowers for a wide range of events and functions that, cumulatively, encompass one's lifetime:
- For new births or Christenings
- As a corsage or boutonniere to be worn at social functions or for holidays
- As tokens of love or esteem
- For wedding flowers for the bridal party, and decorations for the hall
- As brightening decorations within the home
- As a gift of remembrance for bon voyage parties, welcome home parties, and "thinking of you" gifts
- For funeral flowers and expressions of sympathy for the grieving People therefore grow flowers around their homes, dedicate entire parts of their living space to flower gardens, pick wildflowers, or buy flowers from florists who depend on an entire network of commercial growers and shippers to support their trade. Flowers provide less food than other major plants parts (seeds, fruits, roots, plant stem|stems and leaf|leaves) but they provide several important foods and spices. Flower vegetables include broccoli, cauliflower and artichoke. The most expensive spice, saffron, consists of dried stigmas of a crocus. Other flower spices are cloves and capers. Hops flowers are used to flavor beer. Marigold flowers are fed to chickens to give their egg yolks a golden yellow color, which consumers find more desirable. Dandelion flowers are often made into wine. Bee Pollen, pollen collected from bees, is considered a health food by some people. Honey consists of bee-processed flower nectar and is often named for the type of flower, e.g. orange (fruit)|orange blossom honey, clover honey and tupelo honey. Hundreds of fresh flowers are edible but few are widely marketed as food. They are often used to add color and flavor to salads. Squash (fruit)|Squash flowers are dipped in breadcrumbs and fried. Edible flowers include nasturtium, chrysanthemum, carnation, cattail, honeysuckle, chicory, cornflower, Canna (plant)|Canna, and sunflower. Some edible flowers are sometimes candied such as daisy and rose (you may also come across a candied pansy). Flowers can also be made into herbal teas. Dried flowers such as chrysanthemum, rose, jasmine, camomile are infused into tea both for their fragrance and medical properties. Sometimes, they are also mixed with camellia sinensis|tea leaves for the added fragrance.

References

- Eames, A. J. (1961) ''Morphology of the Angiosperms'' McGraw-Hill Book Co., New York.
- Esau, Katherine (1965) ''Plant Anatomy'' (2nd ed.) John Wiley & Sons, New York.

External links

- Native Plant Information Network
- Garden Guide UK - Information on Flowers and Colours Category:Flowers|* Category:Gardening Category:plant morphology Category:Plant sexuality Category:Reproductive system Category:Pollination zh-min-nan:Hoe nds-nl:Bloeme simple:Flower zh-yue:花 bat-smg:Gielė

Related Images

- A poster with twelve species of flowers or clusters of flowers of different families

Sources: StartLearningNow, Wikipedia | Usage license: GNU FDL

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