They have complex inflorescences. Types of inflorescences with examples

Ornamental and indoor plants in most cases bloom with single flowers located at the ends of the shoots. However, in most plants, small flowers are collected in groups called inflorescences.

What it is?

Consider what an inflorescence is in biology. This is a part of angiosperms or flowering plants, consisting of a floral structure of various modifications and developing from flower or mixed buds. Individual flowers are arranged close to each other in a certain order.

The basis of any inflorescence forms the main axis or the axis of the first order. Branching or non-branching lateral axes are attached to it. They are called second order axes. All subsequent branches are the axes of the third, fourth, etc. orders. On the last branch, called the pedicel, a flower develops.

Kinds

Depending on the complexity of branching, simple and complex types of inflorescences are distinguished.

The simple type consists of axes of two orders. Complex groups of flowers form branches of three, four or more orders. The table "Inflorescences" describes the main varieties of the two types.

TOP 3 articleswho read along with this

Rice. 1. Scheme of simple and complex inflorescences.

There are complex, so-called aggregate inflorescences, which consist of partial (simple or private) inflorescences. For example, simple baskets or umbrellas are formed at the ends of a branching panicle. Aggregate inflorescences include an umbrella panicle, a panicle of baskets, a brush of baskets, a shield of baskets, an ear of baskets.

Rice. 2. Aggregate inflorescences.

Meaning

The complex branching system of flowers is of biological importance. The flowers form fruits, but pollination is necessary for the ovary, which occurs naturally or with the help of pollination by insects. Small flowers collected in groups solve the problem of pollination in several ways:

• attract insects - small flowers are not as noticeable and fragrant as their cluster;
• carry pollen - inflorescences located at the ends of the branches are accessible to the wind;
• increase pollination area One bee can pollinate several flowers at once.

Rice. 3. Pollination by insects.

The number of flowers and the length of the inflorescences can vary greatly between plant species. For example, the inflorescences of some palm trees grow up to 14 m, and the number of flowers is tens of thousands.

What have we learned?

From an article on biology for grade 6, we learned that an inflorescence is part of angiosperms or flowering plants, about the types and varieties of inflorescences, as well as their biological function.

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Inflorescence is a shoot or system of shoots bearing flowers. On the nodes of the axes of the inflorescence there are the same leaves as on the vegetative part of the shoot, or modified ones that have lost the ability to photosynthesize, - bracts, and on the nodes of the pedicel - bracts.

The biological advantage of inflorescences over single flowers is to increase the guarantee of pollination, to reduce the likelihood of damage to flowers by adverse environmental factors due to their gradual blooming. Most plants have inflorescences.There are two types of inflorescences: complex when the flowers are located on the branches of the main axis, and simple when flowers with or without pedicels are located directly on the main axis.

Complex inflorescences, depending on the method of growth of the axes, are divided into: sympodial(definite) - the axis ends with a flower, the blooming of flowers goes from the top to the side branches or centrifugally if the flowers are located in the same plane; and monopodial(indefinite) - the axis grows indefinitely, the flowering of flowers goes from the base to the top or centripetally if the flowers are located in the same plane.

Complex sympodial inflorescences:

• monochasium - the main axis ends with a flower; under it a second-order axis is formed, also crowned with a flower, etc.; if the subfloral axes move in one direction, then a curl is formed, but if alternately in one direction, then in the other direction, a gyrus is formed; a curl in which the lateral branches are shortened is called a glomerulus;
• dichasium - two opposite axes are formed under the flower, each of which also ends with a flower and also gives two subfloral axes, repeating the same branching method, etc .;
• pleiochasia - from the main axis, bearing one apical flower, more than two subfloral axes depart, forming a whorl of monochasia or dichasia;
• thyrsus - the above inflorescences are located on the main axis, more often it has a pyramidal shape.

Complex monopodial inflorescences:

• panicle - a very branched inflorescence, the lower lateral branches branch more strongly than the upper ones;
• shield - panicle, in which the flowers are located more or less in the same plane;
• complex spike - the main axis forms branches, on which flowers are located without pedicels; these branches are called spikelets;
• complex umbrella - the distances between the second-order axes are shortened, and they move away from the top of the first-order axis; the distances between the pedicels are shortened, and they are located at the top of the second order axis; often the leaves at the base of the axes of the second order form a common wrap, and at the base of the pedicels - a private wrap.

In addition to those listed, there are complex inflorescences called aggregate. They are formed by a combination of different types of inflorescences. For example, yarrow has an aggregate inflorescence - baskets collected in a shield; in fescue, bluegrass - spikelets collected in a panicle.

Simple inflorescences with an elongated axis:

• raceme - the main axis bears flowers with pedicels, usually of the same length;
• spike - the main axis bears flowers without pedicels;
• earring - drooping ear, that is, an ear with a soft axis; after flowering, the inflorescence usually falls off;
• cob - an ear with a strongly thickened axis, surrounded by one or more leaves, the so-called veil, or wing.

Simple inflorescences with a shortened axis:

• umbrella - inflorescence, in which the main axis is shortened, and pedicels, having almost the same length, depart from the top of the axis;
• head - an umbrella, in which flowers are either without pedicels, or very short;
• basket - the top of the main axis grows in the form of a bed, on which tightly closed flowers are located; apical leaves are crowded and form an involucre.

Cymoid inflorescences- This is an extensive group of inflorescences. There are two main types of cymoid inflorescences: cymoids and thyrses. Cymoids are usually simplified thyrses. Thyrsae are branched inflorescences, with the degree of branching decreasing from base to apex. The main axis of the thyrsus grows monopodially, but cymoids are partial inflorescences of one order or another.
Thyrsae whose main axis ends in a flower are called closed, otherwise they are considered open. Depending on the degree of branching of the lateral axes, pleiothyrses are distinguished, in which cymoids are located on axes of the third and higher orders; dithyrses, in which cymoids are located on the axes of the second order; and monothyrs, in which the cymoids are located directly on the main axis of the inflorescence. Thyrses are easily transformed into other types of inflorescences in the course of reduction (decrease) in the number of lateral axes, shortening of internodes, etc. Thyrsae are very common in plants. For example, thyrsus is an inflorescence of horse chestnut. Thyrses of various types are inflorescences of many labiales. Birch inflorescences - catkin-shaped thyrsus.

Classification and types of inflorescences

Definition 1

Inflorescence- shoots bearing flowers with integumentary leaves and bracts.

In plants, the number of flowers in the inflorescence, and the size of the inflorescences is different.

Remark 1

According to the variety of inflorescences in nature, they are classified according to several criteria:

1. By the nature of the foliage distinguish the following groups of inflorescences:
   1. Frondose. The bracts have well developed laminae. Frondous inflorescence is characteristic for fuchsia, violet, etc.
   2. Bractose. Bracts are scaly. Such inflorescences are typical for lilac, cherry, lily of the valley.
   3. Ebracteous. Bracts are reduced or completely absent. Such an inflorescence is observed in the Cruciferous family.
2. According to the type of growth and direction of opening of flowers inflorescences are divided into groups:
   1. Cymose. The flowers open in the direction from the top of the axis to the base. Cymose inflorescences are characteristic of meducina.
   2. Rational. Flowers open from base to top. Characteristic for Ivan-tea, shepherd's purse.
3. According to the degree of branching of the stems distinguish:
   1. Simple monopodial inflorescences. The flowers are on the first order axis. Flowers can be either sessile or pedunculated.
   2. Complex monopodial inflorescences. Inflorescences are formed from several simple inflorescences, which are located on the axis of the second order.
   3. Sympodial inflorescences. The main axes continue with lateral axes in several orders.

Consider types of monopodial simple inflorescences.

Brush- on an elongated axis, flowers on pedicels are arranged spirally. Inflorescence brush can be observed in plants such as cabbage, lupine, lily of the valley, bird cherry.

Shield- flowers on pedicels are in the same plane at different levels, while moving away from the main axis. The shield has a pear, an apple tree, a hawthorn.

Umbrella- from very close nodes emerge, almost the same length of the pedicel, since the main axis is shortened. Cherry, susak, onion bloom with an umbrella.

cob- flowers without pedicels, sitting on the sides of a thickened axis. The inflorescence is sometimes surrounded by leaves. The cob is characteristic of calamus, calla.

Basket- the axis of the inflorescence in the form of a disk. Flowers without stipules - sessile, densely closed. In the spring, this inflorescence is observed thanks to daisies, dandelions, sunflowers, in the fall in the family of aster plants.

Picture 1.

Head– axis of the first order is expanded in the form of a club or a ball, flowers are sessile, sometimes on short pedicels. Clover, villi, bellflower, pharmacy initials have an inflorescence head.

simple spike- resembles a brush, but the flowers of this inflorescence do not have pedicels. Such an inflorescence of plantains, sedges is characteristic.

Earring- resembles an ear with a soft axis. This inflorescence is also called hanging. Its main axis is quite long. The flowers grow densely on the axis. According to the structure, the earring can be an ear, a simple brush or a thyrsus. The earring for trees is characteristic: poplar, birch, willow.

Whorl- on short pedicels, a group of flowers grow in a row around them. The whorl is characteristic of the common motherwort, yasnotki.

Consider types of monopodial complex inflorescences.

complex umbrella- resembles many simple flowers. Branches of the second order emerge from the main axis, small flowers grow on them, with pedicels of the same length, forming simple umbrellas. Simple umbrellas together form a complex umbrella. A complex umbrella has cow parsnip, cloves, parsley, carrots, dill.

Complex spike- on a long main axis, inflorescences of a simple ear of the second order grow. Cereal plants have a complex ear.

complex shield- a modified panicle, in which the internodes are shortened. It is observed in the millennium, mountain ash.

Panicle- this is a branched inflorescence of various structures of simple inflorescences with a long main axis of the second order. For example, lilac, northern bedstraw, spirea.

forked inflorescence- the main axis is branched by a pair of opposite branches of the second order. Such an inflorescence can be observed in Smolevka vulgaris, Comfrey rough, Lungwort officinalis.

Cone- it is both the fruit and the inflorescence of coniferous plants. It is formed by scales arranged in the form of an ear.

Thyrsus- an inflorescence with a growing monopodial axis, on which cymoid inflorescences are attached. Thyrsus is typical for the families of the Yasnotkovs, Norichkovs, Burachnikovs, and others.

Consider sympodial inflorescences.

Depending on the number of lateral branches that will replace the parent during sympodial growth, dichasia (two), monochasia (one), and pleiochasia (many) are distinguished. In cymose inflorescences, the main axis is not expressed.

In dichasia, each axis bears two axes of the next order. With shortened axes, dichasium resembles an umbrella. Such inflorescences are called false umbrellas, they are characteristic of indoor geraniums. If the axes are reduced, and the dichasia are crowded, such an inflorescence looks like a basket. False basket is characteristic of fleecy species. The main distinguishing feature of false umbrellas and baskets from simple ones is the blooming of flowers.

In monochasia, the maternal axis bears one child each. Monochasia resemble brushes or ears of corn. Monochasia are characterized by gyrus and curl inflorescences.

From the main axis of the curl, which has one flower, another axis departs, also with one flower, etc. you can observe such an inflorescence in forget-me-not, lungwort.

Remark 2

If in the phase of flowering or ripening of the fruits of monochasia resemble brushes or ears, then such an inflorescence is called gyrus. As a rule, the flowers are arranged alternately, then to the right, then to the left. Such an inflorescence is typical for borage, petunias.

In cymose inflorescences, a mixture of dichasia with monochasia can be observed, for example, flowers of the first and second order are located in dichasia, and of the third and subsequent orders in monochasia. So there are double convolutions in forget-me-nots, comfrey, and double curls in St. John's wort.

In pleochasia, the maternal axes are replaced by whorled daughter axes that grow into the apex. Such inflorescences are characteristic of ranunculus, elderberry.

The biological significance of inflorescences

1. Despite the small size of individual flowers, in inflorescences they are clearly visible to pollinators, sway easily and therefore are well pollinated by the wind.
2. Flowers in inflorescences tend to bloom gradually, thereby ensuring the likelihood of pollination.
3. Frost is not dangerous for inflorescences.
4. Provides cross-pollination by wind.
5. Saving plastic substances for the formation of flowers and seeds in inflorescences.

Theory for preparation for block No. 4 of the Unified State Examination in biology: with system and diversity of the organic world.

Flower

Flower- a complex system of organs of sexual reproduction, which is a modified and shortened shoot.

Structure

The most brightly colored part of the flower is the corolla, which can consist of individual petals (like a buttercup, violet) - such a corolla is called a separate-petaled corolla. In fragrant tobacco, the petals are fused together - this is a corolla of the corolla.

The corolla is often surrounded by a calyx consisting of sepals. The calyx may also be divided-leaved or joint-leaved. The calyx and corolla together form the perianth. In some flowers, the calyx and corolla are easy to distinguish (carnation, rose). Such a perianth is called double. In other plants, all tepals are the same (tulip, lily). There is no bowl or whisk. Such a perianth is called simple.

If the most noticeable part of the flower is called the perianth, then it is not the main one in the flower. Indeed, the most important parts of the flower are located in its center - these are the stamens and pistils. Each stamen consists of an anther and a filament. The most important part of the stamen is the anther, in which pollen develops.

In the pestle, there are three parts: ovary, style and stigma. A number of plants have no column (tulip) in the pistil. The most important part of the pistil is the ovary. It contains seeds.

Many plants have one pistil, but there are always a lot of stamens from three (in cereals) to a hundred (in rose hips). Stamens can be of different lengths.

All of the above parts of the flower are located on the receptacle - this is the axial part of the flower - the expanded part of the pedicel, which in turn is part of the stem. There are flowers that do not have a pedicel. Such flowers are called sessile.

flower formula

It is convenient to depict the structure of a flower in the form of a formula in which the following abbreviations are used:

• O - tepals simple
• H - cup
• L - petals
• T - stamens
• P - pistils

The number of flower parts is indicated by numbers (L5 - five petals). If the number of parts of the flower is so large that it cannot be counted, then they put the sign of infinity - ∞.

When the parts of the flower grow together, the corresponding number is put in brackets: L (5) - a corolla of five petals.

Interestingly, all parts of the flowers are usually arranged in circles. It happens that parts of the same name are located in several circles - then a + sign is placed between them. For example, T5 + 5 - in a flower, 10 stamens are located in two circles. So, the formula of the colza flower Ch2 + 2L4T2 + 4P1 means that in the flower 4 sepals are located in two circles, 4 petals, 6 stamens, of which 2 are in one circle, and 4 are in the other and one pistil.

Flower formulas by family

Botanists designate the structure of a flower not only with formulas, but also with diagrams (they are sometimes called flower diagrams). The curly brace at the bottom of some diagrams is the cover sheet. Curly brackets also denote sepals. Simple brackets - petals.

Flower types

Most plants have flowers that have both stamens and pistils. Such flowers are called bisexual. In some plants, some flowers have only pistils (pistil or female flowers), others only have stamens (stamen or male flowers) - such flowers are called same-sex(pumpkin, sea buckthorn, corn, oak, poplar). In cucumber, alder, hazel, same-sex male and female flowers are on the same plant. Such plants are called monoecious. Hemp, nettle, willow, hop, sea buckthorn have pistillate and staminate flowers on different specimens. This is - dioecious plants.

inflorescences

An inflorescence is a collection of flowers arranged in a certain order close to one another.

As a rule, each flower of the inflorescence is small and inconspicuous. But if such flowers are gathered together, the illusion of a large and bright flower is created. In nature, inflorescences are much more common than single flowers. The biological significance of inflorescences lies in the fact that they are more likely to provide cross-pollination (wind, insects), and, accordingly, the formation of seeds. Collected in inflorescences, single flowers become brighter, more fragrant and, therefore, more attractive to insects. More flowers, albeit small ones - more pollen, more pistils that can catch it. Consequently, the chances of getting fine pollen on the stigmas of the pistils of wind-pollinated plants increase. The better the pollination went, the more seeds are produced on the plant.

The number of flowers in an inflorescence can be very large, up to 300 thousand in cattail and up to 6 million in one of the species of palms (corif).

Classification of inflorescences

The classification of inflorescences is based on the method of branching.

In the inflorescence, the main axis and lateral axes are distinguished. If the flowers are on the main axis, then this simple inflorescence, if on the side - complicated inflorescence. As a rule, not all flowers bloom at the same time in the inflorescence. Flowering can begin from the central flower (then the number of flowers in the inflorescence is unchanged), or maybe from the extreme flowers. While they bloom, the laying of new buds continues, and the number of flowers in the inflorescence may vary.

There are no vegetative leaves in inflorescences, but flowers in simple inflorescences (or lateral axes in complex ones) emerge from the axils of small leaves - bracts, which means that each flower has the same origin as the shoot.

Simple inflorescences - all flowers are located on the main axis, and the main axis itself has a different shape and thickness. Moreover, the flowers may have pedicels, and may be sessile. Consider simple inflorescences: a brush, a simple ear, an ear, a head, a basket, an umbrella, a shield.

Simple inflorescences

• Brush - an elongated main axis, flowers on pedicels (bird cherry, bluebell, lily of the valley, cabbage).
• A simple ear - an elongated main axis, sessile flowers (plantain, orchis).
• Cob - an elongated, but thick and fleshy main axis, sessile flowers (female corn inflorescences, calla).
• The head is a thickened and shortened main axis, the flowers are sessile or on short pedicels (clover).
• Basket - a shortened, saucer-shaped extended main axis, sessile flowers, located close to each other (sunflower, dandelion, aster).
• Umbrella - the main axis is shortened and pedicels of almost the same length depart from its top (primrose, cherry).
• Shield - an elongated main axis, flowers on pedicels of different lengths. Moreover, the lower the flower, the longer its pedicel. As a result, all flowers are on the same level.

Complex inflorescences

• Panicle - branching lateral axes depart from the elongated main axis. They carry either flowers (lilac) or simple inflorescences - for example, spikelets (oats).
• Complex umbrella - the main axis is shortened, simple umbrellas depart from it (parsley, carrots, dill, angelica).
• Complex spike - simple spikelets (wheat, barley, rye, wheatgrass) depart from the elongated main axis.

Types and methods of pollination

Types of pollination (transfer of pollen from the anther of the stamen to the stigma of the pistil)

• Self-pollination (pollen is transferred to the pistil of the same flower)
• Cross-pollination (pollen is transferred to the pistil of another flower)

Pollination methods:

1. wind pollination
2. Pollination by insects
3. Artificial (pollen is specially carried by humans)

Fetus

A fruit is a plant organ that develops from a flower. Seeds are surrounded, covered with pericarp, therefore flowering plants are called angiosperms. Only in flowering plants is the seed protected from external influences by the pericarp and has the most favorable conditions for development. The pericarp protects the seed with the embryo from damage and adverse environmental influences. The fruits provide the development of the seed, and also contribute to their distribution.

Fruit types

The fruits are extremely varied. You can divide them into groups according to different criteria. For example, according to the structure of the pericarp - on juicy(in pumpkin, tomato, plum) and dry(in hazel, sunflower, beans).

In the first - the pericarp becomes fleshy, juicy. Nutrients accumulate in it: sugars, proteins, fats, vitamins and aromatic substances. In the second, the pericarp becomes hard.

An important feature is the number of seeds in the fruit, which depends on the number of ovules in the ovary. If the ovule was one, then the seed will be one. If there are many ovules, then the fruit will contain a lot of them - up to hundreds of thousands!

Fruits are distinguished by the number of seeds single-seeded(in wheat, oak) and multi-seeded(in poppy, pea, gooseberry).

Dry multi-seeded fruits, as a rule, open when the seeds ripen and the seeds fall out. Dry one-seeded and all juicy fruits usually do not open.

The juicy one-seeded fruit of apricot, cherry, plum - the drupe is so called because of the woody inner layer of the pericarp - the stone.

Currant, gooseberry, eggplant also have a juicy, multi-seeded fruit, but the middle juicy layer of the pericarp is covered with a thin skin - this is a berry.

Multi-seeded dry fruits are a bean (beans, peas) and a pod (mustard, colza, radish). In the bean, the seeds sit on the valves, and in the pod, on the inner partition.

Dry one-seeded fruits - caryopsis, achene, nut, acorn. Caryopsis - the fruit (not a seed!) of many cereals (wheat, rye, barley, corn) - has a membranous pericarp that fuses tightly with the seed coat of the seed.

In the achene (sunflower, dandelion), the leathery pericarp does not fuse with the seed coat. A nut (linden, hazel, hazelnut) has a woody pericarp, and an acorn (oak) has a leathery pericarp.

A box is a dry single-seeded fruit that opens either with a lid (henbane), or holes (poppy), or flaps (tulip).

seeds

Seed - a special multicellular structure of complex structure, which serves for the reproduction and settlement of seed plants, usually developing after fertilization from the ovule (a modified female sporangium) and containing an embryo.

Seed structure

1. Outside the seed is covered with seed peeled, which protects the internal parts of the seed from drying out and mechanical damage. The seed coat develops from the integument of the ovule.
2. Endosperm- tissue contained within the seed, usually surrounding the embryo and supplying it with nutrients during development. In gymnosperms, the endosperm is the tissue of the female gametophyte. Often at an early stage of development, it has a syncytial structure, later cell walls form in it. Endosperm cells are initially haploid but may become polyploid. In flowering, the endosperm is usually formed during double fertilization as a result of the fusion of the central cell (central nucleus) of the embryo sac with one of the sperm. In many flowering cells, the endosperm is triploid. In a water lily, the endosperm is formed by the fusion of sperm with a haploid cell of the embryo sac, so that its nuclei are diploid. In many flower nuclei, the endosperm has a chromosome set of more than 3n (up to 15n).
3. Under the skin is germ- a small future plant. The embryo in many flowering plants consists of the germinal root, germinal stalk, germinal bud, and cotyledons. In other groups (for example, in the overwhelming majority of orchids), the embryo does not have differentiated organs before seed germination.

The seeds do not germinate on the plant itself. The farther from the mother plant the seed germinates, the greater the opportunity for the further spread of the species, the less the plants will compete with each other for light, soil nutrition. Seeds spread to a greater or lesser distance from the mother plant on their own or with the help of wind, water, animals and humans.

Seed spread

Dry seeds are more often capable of self-spreading. The fruits of the box scatter them when the stem swings (poppy, tulip). Seeds are often shot from pods and beans (touchy, peas). The seeds of such plants have a well-developed seed coat that protects them once they are out of the fruit.

In plants with single-seeded dry fruits (acorn, nut, achene, caryopsis), the fruits themselves dissipate along with the seed. The seed coat of such seeds is poorly developed, the pericarp performs the protection function. Such fruits are often distributed by animals that feed on them and make stocks (chipmunks, squirrels, mice).

Seeds of juicy fruits are spread by animals that eat them. Such seeds must retain their ability to germinate after passing through the animal's digestive tract (some even improve their germination). Therefore, they have a dense seed coat (for berries) or a stony layer of the pericarp - a stone.

Some seeds are carried by insects. For example, ants drag grass seeds with juicy outgrowth appendages (celandine, hoof, violet). Therefore, thickets of these plants may indicate ant paths.

Man is also involved in seed dispersal. Being engaged in agriculture and forestry, he accidentally or deliberately settles the fruits and seeds of valuable and weedy herbs, as well as woody plants, changing the vegetation cover of the Earth.

Fruits and seeds that are spread by the wind are either very light (orchids), or have increased windage due to a variety of wings (maple, ash), parachutes and tufts (dandelion, aspen, willow-herb).

The fruits of aquatic and semi-aquatic plants are spread by water. Accordingly, they do not get wet and are adapted to swimming, sometimes over very long distances (coconut palm, sedge).

Before considering a new topic and telling what is inflorescence let's remember what a flower is. , as mentioned earlier, is modified for the purpose of reproduction, a simple, vegetative bud, the stem (or axis) of which has formed into a receptacle and pedicel, and the leaves have turned into bracts, perianth (petals and sepals), stamens and carpels.

In nature, such a transformation of vegetative organs very rarely ends with only one kidney. As a rule, it extends to the whole kidney system. Therefore, plants in which there are relatively few single flowers (for example, tulips, poppies), usually flowers are collected in groups that are called inflorescences.

Inflorescence - this is the area of ​​​​the annual shoot of a plant that bears flowers and modified bracts. The flowers of the inflorescence are arranged in a certain order, and the inflorescence itself is clearly delimited from the vegetative part of the plant. The number of flowers in an inflorescence can vary greatly for different types of plants: from 1-3 (for example, in peas) to several tens of thousands (in some palms and agaves). The size of the inflorescence can also vary greatly: from a few centimeters to several meters in length. For example, in palm trees of the genus Calamus, the inflorescence can reach 12 m).

In some plants, the inflorescence is formed at the top of the shoot, it is called apical inflorescence, in others - on the sides of the stem in the leaf axil. He's called lateral or axillary inflorescence. The shape of the inflorescence strongly depends on the way the main axis grows. Iris, Gladiolus

Although the inflorescences are very diverse, they can be divided into 3 groups: simple, complex and mixed .

Brush - such an inflorescence, in which flowers on pedicels of the same length are located on a common axis. The inflorescence "brush" can be one-sided if the flowers are located only on one side of the axis.

Shield - also refers to simple inflorescences in the form of a brush, but the lower pedicels in this case are longer than the upper ones and, for this reason, the flowers are located in the same plane.

simple spike - an inflorescence, the flowers of which do not have their own pedicels, all the flowers sit on a common pedicel.

simple umbrella - in this inflorescence, flowers on long pedicels and of the same length are located closely at the very top of the stem.

cob - this inflorescence has a thickened axis on which flowers are located without pedicels.

Head - the flowers of the inflorescence head have very short pedicels and are closely located on a shortened and thickened axis at the very top of the stem.

Basket - in this inflorescence, small and numerous flowers without pedicels are located on a flat, expanded upper part of a common pedicel. Outside, the inflorescence is surrounded by green leaves.

Panicle (also called a complex brush) - this is a complex monopodial inflorescence. The main axis of this inflorescence branches many times, and the lateral branches end in flowers.

complex umbrella- inflorescence, which consists of many simple umbrellas.

complex shield - such a complex inflorescence, in which simple shields are located on the branches of the main axis.

Complex spike - this is an inflorescence, which is formed from several simple spikelets sitting on one common peduncle.

meander complex monochasy. In this inflorescence, lateral single-flowered axes successively depart from the one-flowered main axis or branch to the right and left, which outgrow the maternal ones.

Curl complex monochasy. In this inflorescence, the younger part with flowers that have not yet blossomed is spirally twisted. From the main axis (branch), which carries one flower, another single-flowered axis departs a little lower, from it, in turn, and in the same direction, a third-order axis departs, etc. Each of these axes (branches) outgrows the mother branch when blooming flowers.

Crotch or dichasium refers to inflorescences of the cymose type. In dichasia, the main axis ends in one apical flower; from the axils of 2 opposite leaves that are under this flower, two lateral branches grow, outgrowing the main axis and also ending in flowers that bloom later; in turn, on each of these lateral branches, two opposite lateral branches develop, which also outgrow them and end in flowers that bloom even later, and so on.

Thyrsus - branched inflorescence, the degree of its branching from the base to the top decreases, and the main axis grows monopodially.