Grass Plant Structure and Inflorescence Types

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Questions and Answers

Match the following grass inflorescence types with their characteristics:

A = Spike B = Spicate raceme C = Raceme D = Open panicle

Match the following terms related to spikelets with their descriptions:

Pedicellate spikelet = Has a stalk Sessile spikelet = Attached directly to the rachis Peduncle = The stalk of a flower cluster Uppermost leaf = Leaf at the top of the inflorescence

Match the following inflorescence components with their corresponding illustrations:

Pedicellate spikelet = Represented in diagram A Sessile spikelet = Represented in diagram B Uppermost leaf = Represented in diagram C Peduncle = Represented in diagram D

Match the following descriptions to the correct inflorescence type:

<p>Spike = Unbranched, with sessile spikelets Spicate raceme = Characterized by pedicellate spikelets Raceme = Has both pedicellate and sessile spikelets Open panicle = Hierarchical arrangement of spikelets</p> Signup and view all the answers

Match the inflorescence types with their structural traits:

<p>Spike = No branches Raceme = Simple elongated axis Spicate raceme = Alternating flowers on the axis Open panicle = Complex branched arrangement</p> Signup and view all the answers

Flashcards

Spike

A type of grass inflorescence where spikelets are attached directly to the main stalk, forming a compact, unbranched structure. Think of a wheat stalk.

Spicate Raceme

A type of grass inflorescence with spikelets arranged on stalks (pedicels) along a central axis. Similar to a spike, but with a looser, less dense structure.

Raceme

A type of grass inflorescence where spikelets are attached to stalks (pedicels) along a central axis, with the stalks being more elongated than in a spicate raceme.

Open Panicle

A type of grass inflorescence with spikelets arranged in branching clusters, creating an open, airy structure.

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Pedicel

The stalk that connects a spikelet to the main inflorescence axis, similar to a stem.

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Study Notes

Grass Plant Structure

Grass plants have blades, sheaths, nodes, and spikelets.
The culm is the stem of a grass plant.
Rhizomes are horizontal stems, stolons are above ground horizontal stems, and fibrous roots are part of the root system.
The blade, auricle, ligule, and sheath are components of the grass leaf.

Grass Inflorescence Types

Spike: A spikelet is attached directly to the main axis.
Spicate raceme: The spikelets are on pedicels
Raceme: Spikelets are on pedicels along a central axis.
Open panicle: A branching inflorescence with spicate branches.
Specialized panicles: Alternate spicate primaries and digitate, subdigitate, and verticillate spicate primary unilateral branches.

Andropogoneae Inflorescences

Paired spikelets at each node, including spicate racemes, subdigitate racemose branches, generally alternate branches, and an open panicle.

Spikelet Parts

Spikelets have a rachilla, florets, awns, palea, stigma, anthers, lemma, ovary, lodicule, and floral axis.
There are first and second glumes, reduced (neuter) florets, and pedicels. Each spikelet may have 6 or more florets.

Spikelet Parts - Genera and Tribes

Diagrams of spikelets from specific genera.
Spikelets represent specific species from Chlorideae, Eragrosteae, Paniceae, and Andropogoneae tribes.

Ligules of Grass Leaves

Types of ligules: absent, ring of hairs, membranous, ciliate membrane, acuminate, obtuse, acute, truncate, entire, notched, and eorse.

Leaf Attachment and Plant Growth

Sessile, petiolate, clasping, procumbent, erect, ascending, creeping, and decumbent.

Leaf Arrangement

Opposite, alternate, and whorled.

Types of Forbs

Types include acaulescent, caulescent, and horizontal stems, stolon, and rhizome are horizontal stems..

Leaf Types

Simple (pinnate venation, parallel venation)
Pinnately compound (3-foliate)
Palmately compound (3-foliate, 9-foliate)
Simple (scale-like, needles)
Types also distinguished by odd even pinnately compound, bipinnately compound, and spine-like stipules.

Leaf Shapes

Leaf shapes include deltoid, elliptic, linear, lanceolate, oblanceolate, oblong, orbiculate, obovate, ovate, sagittate, spatulate, and filiform.

Leaf Apices

Leaf apices are characterized by terms like acuminate, acute, cleft, emarginate, obcordate, obtuse, apiculate, rounded, and truncate.

Leaf Margins

Leaf margins exhibit variations such as ciliate, cleft, crenate, dentate, dissected, double serrate, entire, erose, incised, lobed, pinnatifid, serrate, sinuate, and undulate.

Inflorescence Types

Spike, raceme, panicle, umbel, compound umbel, cyme, corymb, compound cyme, catkin, and head.

Flower Types

Flower types include zygomorphic (papilionaceous), zygomorphic, actinomorphic (without petals), actinomorphic (with petals), head (inflorescence type not a single flower).

Asteraceae Head Types

Head types like radiate, ray flower, disk flower, discoid, receptacle, and vertical sections of radiate ligulate.

Fruit Types

Fruit types included are fleshy (berry, accessory, drupe), and dry indehiscent (nutlet, achenes).

Dry Dehiscent Fruits

Follicle, capsule, urticle, silicle (capsule), silique (capsule), loment, legume (coiled) and legume are dry dehiscent fruits.

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Description

Explore the intricate structure of grass plants and their various inflorescence types in this quiz. Learn about components like blades, sheaths, and different types of spikelets. Discover the unique characteristics of the Andropogoneae tribe and their inflorescence structures.