What are the characteristics of chrysanthemum
As one of the famous traditional flowers in China, chrysanthemum is unique in the botanical world with its unique flower structure and ever-changing posture. From ancient times to the present, chrysanthemums not only carry profound cultural connotations, but also show amazing plasticity in horticultural cultivation. This article will deeply analyze the biological characteristics and morphological mysteries of chrysanthemum from a botanical perspective. Analysis of biological characteristics of chrysanthemum 1. The special inflorescence structure that appears to be a single chrysanthemum is actually a complex head, composed of hundreds of small flowers arranged in precise detail. The ring-like flowers, which look like "petals" on the outside, have the function of attracting insects, while the central tubular flower was originally responsible for reproduction. Modern horticultural varieties use genetic control to specialize tubular flowers into ornamental liguid flowers, forming a completely double and stunning flower type. This evolutionary characteristic makes chrysanthemums a typical sample for inflorescence structure research. 2. About 85% of cultivated chrysanthemums with special reproductive mechanisms have reproductive defects: the specialized liguid flowers lose their stamens and only retain 5-15% of the seed setting rate of the original tubular flowers. This characteristic has prompted horticulturists to adopt asexual reproduction methods such as cuttage and tissue culture, creating rapid updates and iterations of chrysanthemum varieties. Wild chrysanthemum still retains a complete hermaphrodite flower structure, and its achene transmission mechanism has important reference value for studying plant evolution. 3. Chromatographic expression Miracle Chrysanthemum presents the most complete color rendering system in the plant kingdom: the basic color contains 12 chromatographic groups, and through the combination of anthocyanins, carotenoids and other pigment cells, more than 300 color changes can be presented. The two-color gradient phenomenon of the "Erqiao" variety stems from the selective expression of genes during the differentiation of petal cells, while the markings of the "Sika deer" are the light reflection effect formed by the alienation of epidermal cells. Detailed explanation of the morphological characteristics of chrysanthemum 1. Plant morphological diversity Wild chrysanthemum plants are 25-100cm high, the stems are covered with glandular hairs, and ovate leaves have serrated edges. Modern cultivated varieties are artificially selected to form four major plant type systems: short type (30-50cm) is suitable for potted plants, medium type (60-90cm) is used for flower bed landscaping, high type (1- 1.5 m) is suitable for cut flowers production, and hanging type (crown width 2-3m) is used for three-dimensional greening. 2. Leaf evolution pedigree Chrysanthemum leaves show typical polymorphic characteristics: regular leaves (standard ovate), long leaves (lanceolate), round leaves (nearly circular), sunflower leaves (palmate split leaves), inverted leaves (leaf margins are reversed), etc. 12 leaf types. This diversity is not only a manifestation of adaptability to different climates, but also an important morphological indicator of artificial selection. 3. Classification of petal morphology According to the differences in the morphology of liguid flowers, chrysanthemums can be divided into 6 major petal types: flat petal type, spoon petal type, tube petal type, cinnamon petal type, deformed petal type and burr type. Among them, tube-petals can be subdivided into 9 subtypes: straight pipes, bent pipes, and hook-and-loop pipes. This morphological differentiation makes chrysanthemums an ideal material for horticultural modeling.
From biological characteristics to ornamental form, chrysanthemums demonstrate the perfect combination of plant adaptation and artificial selection. Its unique inflorescence structure subverts people's conventional understanding of "flowers", and its rich morphological variations provide infinite possibilities for horticultural innovation. With the application of gene editing technology, the ancient flower of chrysanthemum is giving new vitality and continues to write the legend of the shape of the plant kingdom.