Flower Glossary

Anther: The part of the flower's stamen where pollen is produced.

Bloom: The flower itself, or the process of flowering.

Bract: A modified leaf, often located just below a flower or inflorescence, which may be colored or showy and serve various functions such as attracting pollinators or providing protection.

Bulb: A modified underground storage organ consisting of a short stem surrounded by thick, fleshy leaves or scales, capable of producing new shoots and roots, as seen in plants like tulips and onions.

Calyx: The outermost whorl of sepals, usually green and protective of the flower bud.

Corm: A short, swollen underground stem that stores nutrients and serves as a reproductive structure in plants like crocuses and gladioli.

Corolla: The second whorl of flower parts, consisting of petals, often colorful and attractive to pollinators.

Disk Floret: The central, tubular flowers found in the center of composite flower heads, surrounded by ray florets, collectively forming the disk of the flower head.

Filament: The slender stalk of the stamen that supports the anther, allowing it to position the pollen for effective dispersal.

Inflorescence: The arrangement of flowers on a stem, including clusters like spikes, racemes, and umbels.

Nectar: A sugary fluid secreted by flowers to attract pollinators such as bees, butterflies, and birds.

Nectar Guide: Patterns or markings on flowers that direct pollinators towards the nectar-producing parts of the flower, enhancing pollination efficiency.

Ovary: The enlarged basal portion of the pistil that contains one or more ovules, which develop into seeds after fertilization.

Pedicel: The stalk that supports a single flower in an inflorescence.

Peduncle: The main stalk that supports a flower or inflorescence, connecting it to the rest of the plant.

Petal: The often colorful and showy part of the flower, usually in the second whorl and attracting pollinators.

Pistil: The female reproductive organ of a flower, consisting of the stigma, style, and ovary, responsible for receiving pollen and facilitating fertilization.

Pollen: The male reproductive cells of flowering plants, typically produced in the anther.

Pollination: The transfer of pollen from the anther to the stigma, resulting in fertilization and seed production.

Pollinator: An animal that transfers pollen from one flower to another, facilitating pollination and fertilization. Examples include bees, butterflies, birds, and bats.

Raceme: An inflorescence with unbranched stalks bearing flowers along its length, typically with the oldest flowers at the base and the youngest at the tip.

Ray Floret: The outermost, petal-like part of the flower head in composite flowers like sunflowers and daisies, often serving to attract pollinators.

Receptacle: The enlarged tip of the flower's peduncle to which all the floral parts are attached, providing support and serving as a base for the flower.

Rhizome: A horizontal, underground stem that sends out roots and shoots from its nodes, aiding in the spread and propagation of certain plants like ginger and bamboo.

Sepal: The leaf-like structures that form the outermost whorl of the flower, protecting the bud before it opens.

Spike: An unbranched, elongated inflorescence with flowers attached directly to the main stalk, often densely packed and upright, as seen in plants like lupines and liatris.

Spur: A hollow or elongated floral appendage found on certain flowers, often containing nectar and serving as a landing platform for pollinators.

Stamen: The male reproductive organ of a flower, consisting of the anther and filament.

Stigma: The receptive tip of the pistil where pollen lands and germinates.

Style: The slender stalk that connects the stigma to the ovary, part of the pistil.

Stolon: A horizontal stem that grows along the ground and produces new plants at nodes, common in species like strawberries and spider plants.

Tepal: A term used when sepals and petals are similar in appearance and indistinguishable.

Throat: The base of a flower where the petals and sepals join, often leading to the flower's reproductive organs.

Umbel: An inflorescence in which multiple flower stalks arise from a single point, resembling the ribs of an umbrella, common in plants like carrots and parsley.

Whorl: A circular arrangement of flower parts (sepals, petals, stamens, or carpels) around the stem at the same level, often seen in multiples throughout the flower.