Formula of a Flower!

 

 

 

 

A floral formula is a way to represent the structure of a flower using specific letters, numbers, and symbols. Typically, a general formula will be used to represent the flower structure of a plant family rather than a particular species. The following representations are used:

Ca = calyx (sepal whorl; e.g. Ca5 = 5 sepals)
Co = corolla (petal whorl; e.g., Co3(x) = petals some multiple of three )
    Z = add if zygomorphic (e.g., CoZ6 = zygomorphic with 6 petals)
A = androecium (whorl of stamens; e.g., A = many stamens)
G = gynoecium (carpel or carpels; e.g., G1 = monocarpous)
 

x - to represent a "variable number"
∞ - to represent "many"
 

A floral formula would appear something like this:

Ca5Co5A10 - ∞G1

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Info retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/flowers