florets

The term 'floret' here refers to the small and inconspicuous flowers of the Poaceae – Grass family members which are arranged in 1- to multi-flowered spikelets. More generally, the term is referring to small flowers in dense inflorescences (e. g. in the Asteraceae – Daisy family). Grasses are wind pollinated. Therefore, they have considerably reduced and highly specialized flowers which deviate from the typical blueprint of a flower. According to one of the common interpretations, the lemma, which is inserted at the base of the flower, is considered as a supporting-leaf of the flower. Accordingly, the lemma is not a part of the floret. The lowest floral organ is the (mostly 2-pointed) palea which is build from 2 fused tepals of the outer whorl. The third tepal is absent. The following organs are 2 (3) lodicules that regulate opening and closing of the flowers by water uptake or excretion. The lodicules are interpreted as converted tepals of the inner whorl. In the centre of the flower, 3 (2) stamina and an epigynous single-seeded ovary follow. The ovary consists of 2–3 carpels and features 2 (3) terminal stigmata. The glumes are not a component of a floret. They are located at the base of the spikelets.


back