Variants:
– Brightly colored bracts attract pollinators
– Grasses have lemma and palea bracts
– Dish-shaped bracts like Marcgravia evenia attract bats
– Cyathophylls in Euphorbia species are showy
– Bracts in conifers and Castilleja species serve different functions
Bracteole:
– Small bract called bracteole arises on a pedicel
– It is a type of bract that differs from regular bracts
Involucral bracts:
– Bracts in a whorl beneath inflorescences are called involucral bracts
– Asteraceous plants have bracts at the base of each inflorescence
– Involucre protects developing nuts in some plant species
– Beggar-tick has narrow involucral bracts
– Involucre can be a conspicuous bract at the base of an inflorescence
Epicalyx:
– Epicalyx is a modification of bracteoles around the calyx
– It is a calyx-like extra whorl of floral appendages
– Fragaria may or may not have an epicalyx
– Epicalyx is present in the Malvaceae family
Spathe:
– Spathe is a large bract enclosing flower clusters
– Spathe is found in plants like palms, arums, and irises
– Some arums have petal-like spathes attracting pollinators
– Zephyranthes tubispatha has a tubular spathe
– Spathe is part of the inflorescence in Anthurium scherzerianum
In botany, a bract is a modified or specialized leaf, especially one associated with a reproductive structure such as a flower, inflorescence axis or cone scale. Bracts are usually different from foliage leaves; they may be of a different size, color, shape, or texture. Typically, they also look different from the parts of the flower, such as the petals or sepals. A plant having bracts is referred to as bracteate or bracteolate, while one that lacks them is referred to as ebracteate and ebracteolate, without bracts.
