Biology · Morphology of Flowering Plants · NEET
Calyx is the outermost whorl and is made of sepals. Sepals are usually green, leaf-like, and protect the flower while it is a bud. Corolla is the whorl just inside the calyx and is made of petals. Petals are usually brightly coloured to attract insects for pollination. So calyx = sepals (green, protect), corolla = petals (coloured, attract).
Both calyx and corolla are ACCESSORY organs, not reproductive organs. NCERT clearly says calyx and corolla are accessory whorls, while androecium (stamens) and gynoecium (carpels) are the reproductive organs. NEET often asks this directly, so remember: the two outer whorls only help reproduction, they do not make gametes.
These words describe the calyx. Gamosepalous means the sepals are UNITED (joined together), like in the fused cup-shaped calyx of Solanaceae. Polysepalous means the sepals are FREE (separate). Trick: 'gamo' = married/joined, 'poly' = many separate. Same logic applies to petals as gamopetalous (petals united) and polypetalous (petals free).
Both describe the corolla. Gamopetalous means petals are united or fused (for example, the tubular corolla of Solanaceae). Polypetalous means petals are free and separate. If you can pull one petal out on its own, it is polypetalous; if petals are joined into a tube or cup, it is gamopetalous.
Sepals are green because they contain chlorophyll and work like small protective leaves that guard the bud before it opens. Petals are brightly coloured (not green) because their job is to attract insects for pollination. This colour difference is a common NEET one-liner: green sepals protect, coloured petals attract.
Which of the following are characteristic features of the Solanaceae family? (a) Flowers are bisexual and actinomorphic; (b) Calyx has five sepals and is united; (c) Androecium has five stamens and is epipetalous; (d) Ovary is inferior.
Identify the correct floral formula of family Solanaceae.
Try the real previous-year questions from this chapter — each with the answer and a full solution.
Calyx is the OUTERMOST whorl of the flower. Corolla lies just inside the calyx. So the order from outside to inside is: calyx, corolla, androecium, gynoecium.
Sepals form the calyx and petals form the corolla. When calyx and corolla are not distinct (as in lily), they are together called the perianth, and each unit is a tepal.
Solanaceae members like Petunia and brinjal have a gamopetalous (united petals) and gamosepalous (united sepals) flower. In contrast, a mustard flower is polypetalous with free petals.
The corolla, made of brightly coloured petals, mainly attracts insects and other pollinators. This helps in pollination. The calyx, in contrast, mainly protects the young bud.
