Question

Discuss the differences between a complete flower and an incomplete flower.

Short answer

A flower is considered complete when all four whorls are present. Incomplete means that one of the four parts is lacking.

Step-by-step solution

Introduction

Flowers are the reproductive organs in angiosperms. Angiosperms reproduce with the help of flowers. They produce nectar which is an important source of food for pollinating birds and insects. A flower is composed of four whorl components: calyx, corolla, gynoecium and androecium.

Explanation

Flowers can be either incomplete flowers or complete flowers. A flower is said to be incomplete when one or more of the whorl components is not present, whereas a complete flower is one where all the whorl components are present in a single flower.

Explanation

• Androgynous or hermaphrodite flowers are those that have both an androecium and a gynoecium. These are complete flowers.
• Flowers with only an androecium are known as staminate, whereas those with only carpels are known as carpellate. These are incomplete flowers.