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There are five to ten nectar glands, some of which are connected. Five groups (one at the base of each bracteole) of extremely reduced male flowers, each consisting of a single anther on a stem, stand in the centre at the base of the involucre, consisting of an ovary on a short stem with pistil, and surrounded by: one extremely reduced female flower standing in the centre at the base of the involucre, consisting of an ovary on a short stem with pistil, and surrounded by: one extremely reduced female.
Characteristics of Cyathium Inflorescence:
Brilliantly coloured nectar glands and generally petal-like extensions to the nectar glands, or brightly coloured, petal-like bracts positioned beneath the cyathia, emphasise the Cyathia’s flower-like features. The paired petal-like bracts of Euphorbia section Goniostema are known as cyathophyllum. Female flowers outnumber male flowers by a factor of one.
The cyathia can be found on their own, but they are most usually found in cymes, second-order inflorescences, pseudumbels, dichotomously branching stalks, or so-called simple cymes, which have one central and two lateral cyathia.
In one group of Madagascan species in the subfamily Euphorbia section Goniostema, a second pseudanthium tends to develop from the cyme (E. aue viridiflora, E. capmanambatoensis, E. iharare, E. leuconeura, E. neohumbertii, E. viguieri). Because of their adaptability to avian pollination, the cyathia have become specialised: Most cyathia have upright cyathophyllum that protect them while preventing nectar gland access. To compensate, they are surrounded by naked, sterile cyathia whose main goal is to produce nectar.
Cyathium Inflorescence:
Cyathium is a type of inflorescence in which the bract involucres fuse together to produce a cup-shaped structure. This cup contains a solitary pistillate (female) blossom that is surrounded by staminate (male) blooms. The female flower is represented by a tricarpellary pistil with a lengthy pedicel. Each decreased male flower is represented by a single stamen with hairy bracts. Secretory glands can be located on the border of the involucral cup. This inflorescence belongs to the Euphorbiaceae family.
This type of inflorescence is found in the Euphorbiaceae family’s genus Euphorbia and the Pedilanthus family’s genus Pedilanthus. This flower has a cup-shaped involucre with nectar-secreting glands. A solitary female flower, represented by a pistil, grows in the centre of the involucre on a tall stalk.
Flowers in Cyathium Inflorescence:
A ring of male flowers arranged in a centrifugal pattern surrounds this female bloom. Each male bloom consists of a single stamen on a stalk. Each stamen is articulated to a stalk and bears a scaly bract at the base, indicating that it is a solitary male flower. Plants such as Poinsettia (Euphorbia), Pedilanthus, and others are examples. Male flowers have a pistillate flower with an ovary on a long stalk and a cup-shaped involucre with numerous minute stamens (pedicel). On the rim of the cyathium, one or more nectar glands and petaloid appendages are usually seen. The euphorbia family’s Euphorbia genus (including Chamaesyce) has a characteristic inflorescence (Euphobiaceae).
The cyathium is a cuplike structure composed of fused bracts that enclose a single terminal stalked gynoecium (interpreted as a perianthless female flower) surrounded by four or five groups of stamens, usually with distinct extrafloral nectar glands and noticeable petaloid appendages (interpreted as partial inflorescences of perianthless male flowers)
- a constriction within the “stamen” and morphological differences between the upper (filament) and lower (pedicel) regions in some species [this constriction is regarded as indicating the position of a suppressed perianth a perianth present in female strut];
- a constriction within the “stamen” and morphological differences between the upper (filament) and lower (pedicel) regions in some species [this constriction is
Conclusion:
In comparison to studies on distantly related angiosperms with ambiguous flower–inflorescence boundaries, such as the monocot family Triuridaceae and the early-divergent angiosperm, the cyathium’s uniqueness and apparent morphological intermediacy make it a good subject for evaluating questions about flower and inflorescence evolution in angiosperms. The goal of this study is to use the current evolutionary context of the Euphorbiaceae as a backdrop for new comparative morphological and ontogenetic data. These new discoveries will help us evaluate Euphorbiaceae floral and inflorescence homologies, as well as establish hypotheses regarding the evolution of the cyathium that may be investigated using developmental genetics.
