What has provided the foundation and framework for taxonomy?
Morphological characters
Morphological characters are observable characteristics that include vegetative and reproductive traits.
What are the two main characters on which classification is based?
Inflorescence type and flower
These characters are essential for identifying and classifying plant species.
What are the four main parts of a flower?
Sepals, petals, stamens, and pistil
These parts are borne on a receptacle.
Define hypogynous flowers.
Flowers with sepals, petals, and stamens inserted around the base of the gynoecium but free from it
These flowers do not have a hypanthium.
What is the difference between apocarpous and syncarpous flowers?
Apocarpous has separate carpels; syncarpous has united carpels
The classification affects how the fruit develops.
What are the types of placentation in flowers?
- Marginal
- Parietal
- Axile
- Free central
- Basal
- Apical
These styles describe how ovules are arranged in the ovary.
What is a complete flower?
A flower with all four parts present
If some parts are missing, it is considered incomplete.
Define dioecious plants.
Plants that contain only one flower sex
Examples include holly and kiwifruit.
What distinguishes a regular flower from an irregular flower?
Regular flowers are radially symmetrical; irregular flowers can only be divided into equal halves by one vertical plane
This affects pollination strategies.
What is the function of stipules in leaves?
Outgrowths from the leaf base
Stipules can be present or absent in leaves.
What are the types of roots based on their development?
- Adventitious
- Tap roots
- Aerial
- Fibrous
- Fleshy
- Fusiform
- Conical
- Napiform
- Tuberose
- Fasciculated
- Nodulose
- Moniliform
Each type has specific characteristics and functions.
What is the significance of cytology in taxonomy?
It studies cell structure, particularly chromosome characteristics
Aspects include chromosome number, size, morphology, and behavior at meiosis.
What are the basic characters necessary in taxonomy related to ecology?
- Habitat
- Abiotic relations
- Biotic relations
- Spatial relations
- Temporal relations
These factors help understand the distribution and adaptations of taxa.
What is palynology?
The study of pollen grains
It examines characteristics like shape, symmetry, and wall architecture.
Describe the arrangement of flowers in a raceme.
Axis grows indeterminately with the youngest flower topmost and oldest at the bottom
This arrangement allows for continuous flowering.
Fill in the blank: A flower cluster where all flowers are at the same level is called a _______.
Corymb
In a corymb, flower stalks are of different lengths.
What are the main components of the gynoecium?
Stigma, style, and ovary
The gynoecium is the female part of the flower.
