What Are the Functions of Flower Bracts?

Flower bracts are a type of foliage that grows around and protects an inflorescence. They are distinguished from other types of foliage by being a different color and texture. Bracts are sometimes brightly colored in order to attract pollinators.

Significance

Unlike regular leaves, bracts do not assist with the process of photosynthesis, nor do they have a direct role in reproduction.

Misconceptions

It is common for some flower bracts to be mistaken for the flowers themselves. Two well-known examples are Poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima), Bougainvillea (Bougainvillea) and Dogwood (Cornus Kousa) flowers. In both of these cases, the flowers are in tiny clusters inside colorful bracts.

Types

Bracts surround an inflorescence, which is a cluster of flowers around a single stem, not an individual flower. A cluster of bracts in a whorl is an "involucre."

Types

The bracts which surround grasses are known as "glumes." In a pair of glumes, or "spikelet" the lower glume is always the largest.

Features

The texture of a bract can be soft like a leaf or petal, or it can be woody.

References

• Garden Guides: Bract Definition
• Composite Flowers
• Grass Structures

Resources

• Trees in Our Environment