Biology
Nidhi is a girl who loves to visit gardens and observe flowers. She used to categorize the flowers on the basis of their size, presence/absence of petiole, colour of the petals, etc. She observed the flowers of Bougainvillea and noticed thatok the actual flowers are dull and small, white in colour but are protected by some other colourful structures.
(a) Are these colourful structures epipetals ? Explain.
(b) Define the above structure.
(c) Mention 3 colours of the above structure which can be seen in Bougainvillea.
(d) Why do these structures become colourful ? Write their important role.
(e) If any other part of the flower becomes colourful like petals, what technical term can be used for it?
Flower
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Answer
(a) No, these colourful structures are not epipetals. They are bracts. The term epipetalous refers to stamens that are attached to petals, whereas in Bougainvillea the coloured structures are modified leaf-like parts surrounding the flower.
(b) Bracts are modified leaf-like structures present at the base of a flower or inflorescence. They may sometimes become brightly coloured.
(c) Three colours seen in Bougainvillea bracts are:
- Pink
- Purple
- Red
(d) These structures become colourful due to the presence of pigments such as anthocyanins. Their important role is to attract insects and other pollinators for pollination, since the actual flowers are small and inconspicuous.
(e) If any other part of the flower becomes petal-like or colourful, the technical term is petaloid.
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