From: "Leo A. Martin" leo1010 at attglobal.net> on 2003.06.05 at 02:57:26(10321)
>> What does inflorescence mean?
> I know the flower of the A. Titanum is the
> largest inflorescence, but does that mean
> there is another flower that is larger in
> the world, because it is not categorized as
> an inflorescence?
"...adopted by Linnaeus for the manner in which flowers are arranged on
the plant and hence for the flowers themselves considered collectively
with their supports, this constituting a flower-bearing branch or system
of branches with no ordinary foliage leaves between the flowers...."
- Stearns, WT. Botanical Latin, 4th ed., Timber Press, Portland, 1992,
p 432.
A flower is a specialized structure normally including reproductive
parts of angiosperms together with associated protective structures.
Flowers may contain female parts only, male parts only, both kinds of
parts, and rarely both male and female parts of a flower fail to
develop. Individual flowers clustered together in a branching structure
are called inflorescences.
Aroid inflorescences are composed of a central stem enclosed by a
modified leaf. On the central stem are arranged many small to tiny
individual flowers which are either male or female in most species.
The largest flower is that of Rafflesia arnoldii, a parasitic plant from
the jungles of Indonesia, in the family Rafflesiaceae. It reaches a
meter in diameter (39 inches.) It is pretty much impossible to
cultivate, being a parasite. It stinks, is striped yellow and maroon,
has vibratory hairs, and is carrion-pollinated, so most people on this
list would find it quite attractive.
The second-largest flower is that of Stapelia gigantea, a stem succulent
from southern Africa, in the family Asclepiadaceae, which has now been
subsumed into the family Apocynaceae. It reaches 16" / 40cm in diameter.
It is very easy to cultivate. It stinks, is striped yellow and maroon,
has vibratory hairs, and is carrion-pollinated, so most people on this
list would find it quite attractive.
By the above definition, the Titan is nowhere near the largest
inflorescence in the plant kingdom. That distinction would probably go
to palms in the genus Corypha, which are monocarpic, meaning they bloom
once and then die. The inflorescence can extend more than 10 meters
above the dying palm and shed tens of thousands of seeds the size of
pigeon eggs.
Many Agave and Furcrea species (Agavaceae) have very large
inflorescences, though not so large as Corypha.
Leo
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