Knowra Involucre Involucre An involucre is a set of bracts surrounding a flower cluster or fruit in some plants. It may protect developing flowers or fruits and can resemble a single flower’s calyx.
Bract : A modified leaf associated with a flower or inflorescence, often differing in size, shape, or color from ordinary leaves. An involucre is built from bracts arranged around a floral structure.
Asteraceae : The flowering-plant family that includes daisies, asters, sunflowers, and their relatives. Its flower heads are characteristically enclosed by overlapping involucral bracts.
Epicalyx : A ring of bractlets outside the calyx of a flower, resembling an additional whorl of sepals. An epicalyx surrounds one flower, whereas an involucre typically encloses a flower cluster.
Bud protection : The shielding of developing plant buds from physical damage, desiccation, and environmental stress. Closely packed involucre bracts can shield developing flowers before they open.
Inflorescence : A flowering shoot or arrangement of flowers on a plant. The involucre commonly surrounds an inflorescence rather than an individual flower.
Capitulum : A compact inflorescence in which many small flowers are borne on a shared, flattened receptacle. The involucre forms the conspicuous outer cup beneath a capitulum.
Involucel : A small secondary involucre surrounding an individual umbellet within a compound umbel. It is the smaller-scale counterpart of the involucre beneath the whole compound umbel.
Anthesis : The period when a flower is open and functional, especially for pollination. Involucre bracts may spread or become more visible as the flowers reach anthesis.
Flower : The reproductive structure of flowering plants, typically containing organs that produce gametes and enable seed formation. Separating an involucre from the flower itself clarifies its position outside the floral organs.
Apiaceae : The flowering-plant family that includes carrots, parsley, celery, and many plants with compound umbels. In many Apiaceae, involucres occur beneath umbels and help identify the arrangement.
Show all 20