What is a Composite Flower? 🌿

TERMINOLOGY TUESDAY 🌿
w/ the Florida Native Plant Society!
Did you know Purple Coneflower, Echinacea purpurea, is native to Florida? It only occurs in two counties in the Panhandle and is very rare. It’s also a member of the Asteraceae family, known for its composite flower structure.
Inflorescence:
All parts of the flowering stalk of a plant, including all parts of the flower(s) and the stem.
Composite Flower:
It is not a singular flower but a composite of many tiny flowers (often called florets). Plants in the Asteraceae family are known for their composite flower morphology.
Ligule (aka Ray):
In the Asteraceae family, a ligule is the petal-like appendage part of the ray flower (also called a ray).
Ray Floret:
Small flowers in a composite inflorescence that bear a ligulate ray (the petal-like appendage).
Disc Floret:
A small, tubular, rayless flower located in the central "disc" of a composite inflorescence.
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