Floral Formula Symbols — Br K C P A G, Brackets, Lines
📚 Practice ConceptVarious morphological features are used to describe a flowering plant. The description has to be brief, in a simple and scientific language and presented in a proper sequence. The plant is described beginning with its habit, vegetative characters – roots, stem and leaves and then floral characters inflorescence and flower parts. After describing various parts of plant, a floral diagram and a floral formula are presented. The floral formula is represented by some symbols. In the floral formula, Br stands for bracteate K stands for calyx, C for corolla, P for perianth, A for androecium and G for Gynoecium, G for superior ovary and G for inferior ovary, ♂ for male, ♀ for female, ⚥ for bisexual plants, ⊕ for actinomorphic
The % symbol indicates a zygomorphic flower, with mustard flowers being a typical example of this symmetry.
% = ZYGOMORPHIC (bilateral, only one plane of symmetry). Mustard is ACTINOMORPHIC (radial), not zygomorphic — examples of zygomorphic include pea, gulmohur, Cassia.
⊕ = actinomorphic (radial). % = zygomorphic (bilateral). Brackets = FUSION same whorl. Line above = ADHESION different whorls.
- Whorl symbols: Br (bract), K (calyx), C (corolla), P (perianth), A (androecium), G (gynoecium).
- Sex/symmetry: ♂ male, ♀ female, ⚥ bisexual, ⊕ actinomorphic, % zygomorphic.
- Ovary position: G with line BELOW = SUPERIOR (hypogynous); G with line ABOVE = INFERIOR (epigynous).
- Fusion within same whorl = brackets around number, e.g., K(5). Adhesion between whorls = line drawn above.
Consider the following statements about symbols used in a floral formula: S1: The symbol '⊕' denotes a flower with actinomorphic (radial) symmetry that can be divided into equal halves in any radial plane. S2: 'K' represents the calyx and 'C' the corolla; fusion of floral parts within a whorl is shown by enclosing the figure in brackets, e.g., K(5). S3: 'A' refers to the androecium and 'G' to the gynoecium; adhesion between different whorls is shown by a line drawn above the symbols. S4: The symbol '%' signifies a zygomorphic flower, and mustard is a typical example of this symmetry. S5: A G with a line drawn above it indicates an inferior ovary, where the thalamus grows upward enclosing the ovary.
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Correct answer: C — S1, S2, S3 and S5 only
S1 CORRECT: ⊕ = actinomorphic (radial symmetry). S2 CORRECT: K = calyx, C = corolla, brackets denote fusion within a whorl. S3 CORRECT: A = androecium, G = gynoecium, line ABOVE = adhesion between whorls. S4 WRONG: % does mean zygomorphic, BUT mustard is ACTINOMORPHIC, not zygomorphic. Examples of zygomorphic flowers are pea, gulmohur and Cassia — NOT mustard. S5 CORRECT: G with line above = INFERIOR ovary (epigynous), where the thalamus encloses the ovary.
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