Here is a list of few common flowers with description:- 1. China-Rose 2. Sesbania Grandiflora 3. Gourd 4. Datura Fastuosa 5. Tube Rose.
1. China-Rose (Hibiscus Rosa-Sinensis) (Fig. 98):
Flowers:
Solitary, axillary, pedunculate, complete, regular, hermaphrodite, hypogynous. Bracts 5 or more forming a whorl called epicalyx.
Calyx:
Sepals 5, gamosepalous, tubular.
Corolla:
Regular, showy, petals 5, slightly united at the base with the staminal column; aestivation—twisted.
Androecinm:
stamens many, monadelpous—united by filaments to form a hollow staminal column; anthers—free, reniform, one-celled.
Gynoecium:
Carpels 5, syncarpous; style passes through the staminal column; stigma 5, free; ovary—superior, 5-chambered with many ovules; placentation—axile.
2. Sesbania Grandiflora (B. Bakful) (Fig. 99):
Flowers:
In axillary racemes, pedicellate, complete, irregular,, zygomorphic, hermaphrodite, slightly perigynous.
Calyx:
Sepals 5, gamosepalous, 2-lipped or 5-toothed.
Corolla:
Petals 5, free, papilionaceous—the outermost and the largest one is standard or vexillum, the two lateral petals are wings or alae and the innermost two, keel or carina, unite to form a boat-shaped body; aestivation—vexillary.
Androecium:
Stamens 10; 9 united by filaments to form a bundle, one remaining free—diadelphous; anthers—free, dorsifixed.
Gynoecium:
Carpel 1, elongated; ovary—superior, one-chambered with many ovules; placentation—marginal.
3. Gourd (Cucurbita Maxima) (Fig. 100):
Flowers:
Solitary, pedunculate, regular, incomplete, unisexual (monoecious), epigynous.
Calyx:
Sepals 5, united at the base, lobes linear in male flowers and leafy in female flowers.
Corolla:
Petals 5, gamopetalous, campanulate or bell-shaped.
Male flowers:
Androecium:
Stamens 3, united by anthers, filaments remaining free—syngenesious; anther lobes twisted in form of inverted ‘s’ (sinuous).
Female flowers:
Gynoecium:
carpels 3, syncarpous; ovary—inferior, one- chambered; ovules—many; placentation—parietal; style short; stigma 3, each forked or bi-fid.
4. Datura Fastuosa (B. Dhutra) (Fig. 101):
Flowers:
Solitary, pedunculate, complete, regular, hermaphrodite, hypogynous.
Calyx:
Sepals 5, gamosepalous, tubular.
Corolla:
Petals 5, gamopetalous, infundibuliform or funnel- shaped.
Androecium:
Stamens 5, united with the corolla tube—epipetalous; anthers—basifixed.
Gynoecium:
Carpels 2, syncarpous; ovary—superior, two- chambered but four-chambered below by false partition wall; ovules—many; placentation—axile; style—1, long; stigma bifid.
5. Tube-Rose (Polianthes Tuberosa); B. Rajanigandha (Fig. 102):
Flowers:
Sessile, bracteate, arranged on a scape (spike) regular, hermaphrodite, epigynous.
Perianth:
lobes 6, gamophyllous, in 2 whorls.
Androecium:
Stamens 6, attached to the perianth lobes— epiphyllous; anthers—dorsifixed.
Gynoecium:
carpels 3, syncarpous; ovary—inferior, 3-chambered; ovules—many; placentation—axile; style—long; stigma— bifid.
