Question

What is Caryopsis and Cypsela? Give an example.

Answer 1

Angiosperms are plants which have stems, leaves and roots. The angiosperm family consists of :-Asteraceae, Brassicaceae, Poaceae.

Complete answer:
Let us first look into the characteristics of angiosperms. The characteristics are,
->They have flowers at some stage of their life
->The sporophyte is differentiate into leaves, roots and stems
->The stamen is known as microsporophyll and the carpels is known as megasporophyll
->The ovules are enclosed in the ovary
->There is only one functional megaspore which is retained within the nucellus
->The sporophytes are diploid in nature
->The carpels enclose the developing seeds which may convert into a fruit

Caryopsis is a dry fruit (one-seeded), in which the wall of the ovary is united with the seed coat, thus making it difficult to separate them, except by special milling processes, typically in grass & cereal. It is unicarpellate (formed from a single carpel) and indehiscent (which does not open on maturing, to shed its seeds) and it resembles an achene. Examples include - Wheat and Maize.
Cypsela is a dry fruit (one-seeded) formed from a double ovary, of which only one develops into a seed, just like in the daisy family. It is a dry, indehiscent fruit derived from an inferior, bicarpellate ovary. Similar to an achene, but derived from an inferior ovary and attached to the fruit wall throughout, i.e., not at a single place as in an achene. Example includes - white-gray husk of a sunflower "seed”.

Note: There are different types of inflorescence,

Racemose - In this type, the flower branches laterally on the floral axis.
Compound - In this, the main axis branches once or twice in cymose or racemose manner.
Cyathium - It has a cup shaped involucre which has a nectar secreting glands.
Cymose - The flower is the terminating point of the each floral axis in this type of inflorescence.