Chapter: Introduction to Botany: The Origin of Flowering
Inflorescence - Origin of Flowering
The Inflorescence
Inflorescence is an isolated generative shoot (shoot bearing FU). Together,
in-florescences make generative shoot
system. Its diverse structure is of not lesser importance than the
structure of vegetative shoot system.
The vast diversity of
inflorescences can be split into four groups, or “models” (Fig. 8.15). Sole flower is sometimes considered as a “Model
0”.
Model I inflorescences
are based on the raceme (monopodially branched gener-ative
shoot). They are simple or double and mostly monopodial (Fig. 8.16).
Model II
inflorescences (Fig. 8.17) bear or consist of
closed (sympodially branched) units.
The most complete but more rare variant is thyrsus,
whereas reduced variants (monochasia
and dichasia) are more frequent.
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