A wild bisexual flower is radial. It has five free sepals, five free petals, ten free stamens and…
Contributed by StemPy LabTry it on paper first. A hint, the key idea and the worked solution are here when you need them.
A wild bisexual flower is radial. It has five free sepals, five free petals, ten free stamens and one carpel with a superior ovary. Write its floral formula in plain letters, add up the numbers in it, and find how many stamens there are for each petal.
Need a reminder? The key ideaShow
A floral formula is written in the order Br, symmetry sign, sex sign, K, C or P, A, G. A number gives how many parts there are. Brackets show that parts are fused, and a plus joins two groups. A line under G is a superior ovary, and a line over G is an inferior ovary. In a floral diagram, the mother axis is a dot at the top, the calyx is outermost and the gynoecium is at the centre.
The worked solution
Have you tried it?
Work it out on paper first. It is fine to get stuck or make a mistake: that is how we learn. When you are ready, go through the solution one step at a time, and check each step against your own.
Step 1. The formula. Radial, then the four whorls: . The ovary is superior, so a line goes under G.
Step 2. The sum. .
Step 3. Stamens for each petal. .
Answer: ; the numbers add up to ; there are stamens for each petal.
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