AY Honors/Flowers/Answer Key

Template:Honor header Flowers present an exciting field of study to people of all ages. Though young boys may dismiss the study of flowers as something too "girly," they will soon discover that flowering plants are a truly fascinating subject. There are thousands of species of flowering plants all around us. Most have flowers for only a short time, and most are inconspicuous - not what most people would even call a flower, but would be quick to call a weed. If the student of nature is willing to expand the definition of "flower" to include any plant that produces flowers, a whole new world of flowers will be opened.

An example would be a plant known as loosestrife. Loosestrife is not a plant that most gardeners would consider cultivating - it looks very much like a weed. But upon close examination, the careful observer will find much about the plant to take delight in. Some species of loosestrife have yellow flowers, others have purple ones. The flowers themselves are on the smallish side, but they are quite beautiful. They attract bees, ants, and other insects. Being able to identify a "weed" can be very satisfying and requires careful attention to detail. I personally hunt out weeds whenever I am out for a walk - indeed, sometimes finding a new "weed" is the whole point of the walk. When I see one I do not know, I take a careful look. What color is the flower? How many petals does it have? Do the leaves grow from the stem in pairs, opposite one another, or do they take turns, growing alternately? Are the veins in the leaves branched or parallel? Does the leaf grow directly from the stem, or is it attached by a small stem of its own? Is the stem hairy? square? All of these questions are important clues to a plant's identity. When my walk is over, I turn to a field guide or to one of many sites on the Internet and try to discover what plant I have discovered. It is a thrill to me when I finally figure out what it is, and then I read everything I can about this new species in my arsenal. Is it a native plant, or was it introduced? Does it have edible parts? Does it have a medicinal use? What is peculiar about it? Why does it have the name it has? The answers to these questions are almost invariably fascinating! I invite you to study God's world through the flowers He created!

1. Draw or photograph 35 kinds of flowers and identify them correctly.

This website http://www.realtimerendering.com/flowers/flowers.html can help you identify flowers by entering in the answers to several questions. It would be a good idea to print out the form and take copies with you into the field. Some of the questions are difficult to answer unless you have the plant right in front of you.

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  Arctotis

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  Aster

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  Azalea

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  Begonia

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  Bladder Campion

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  Bluebell

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  Boneset

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  Carnation

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  Chamomile

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  Chrysanthemum

• Clematis jackmanii 2.jpg

  Clematis

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  Columbine

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  Crocus

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  Dahlia

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  Daisy

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  Forget Me Not

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  Forsythia

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  Geranium

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  Hollyhock

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  Hydrangea

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  Hyacinth

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  Lady's Slipper

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  Iris

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  Lantana

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  Lily

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  Lupine

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  Marigold

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  Nasturtium

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  Orchid

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  Pansy

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  Peony

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  Periwinkle

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  Petunia

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  Phlox

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  Poppy

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  Primrose

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  Rose

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  Starflower

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  Sunflower

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  Sweet Pea

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  Tansy

• 488px-Cow vetch2.jpg

  Tufted Vetch

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  Tulip

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  Violet

2. Draw and properly label, or point out the actual parts of a flower: pistil, stamen, petal, sepal.

http://www.prairiefrontier.com/pages/families/flwrparts.jpg

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3. Name six flower families and their distinguishing characteristics. Name at least two flowers in each family.

Bluebell

• Common bluebell
• Spanish Bluebell
• Virginia Bluebell

Daffodil

Daffodils have long narrow leaves and bulbs. The flowers are very similar to the Iris, except they have six petals instead of three.

• Atamasco-lily (which in spite of its name, is a daffodil, not a lily)
• Stargrass

Iris

showy flowers and brightly colored sepals and somewhat fuzzy showy petals-underground rhizome tough and fiberous- leaves somewhat stiff long narrow ovary interior.

Lily

Monocots and bulbs - usually rather long slender leaves - flowers often showy-parts in threes and sixes- ovary superior.

Mustard

• Cabbage
• Turnip
• Radish

Rose

• Rose
• Apple
• Strawberry
• Blackberry

4. Describe the life history of a particular flower, including the part played by insects or wind in pollination.

• A seed needs warmth is on light and water to grow roots.
• The flower sprouts up and down at the same time.
• The flowers grow more leaves.
• Bees and other insects pollinate the flowers.
• The flowers form seeds.
• The seeds are dispersed and take root.
• The cycle repeats.

5. Name at least two plants that are poisonous to touch, and state which, if any, are found in your locality.

Poison Ivy, Poison Oak, and Poison Sumac all fall into this category. Poison ivy grows all over North America, and is most fond of disturbed areas such as stream banks and roadsides. Poisin oak grows primarily in Texas, Oklahoma, and the Southeastern and Western United States. Poison Sumac is found in subtropical and warm temperate regions throughout the world, with the highest diversity in southern Africa.

6. Do three of the following:

a. Arrange, draw or photograph a series of at least six flowers showing in order the colors of the rainbow: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, violet.

It is sometimes difficult to assign a color to a flower. Some varieties of a flower in a given species will have blossoms in one color, while another variety will have them in another. Some flowers are difficult to call blue or violet, as the color lies somewhere in between. Red and violet flowers can also be in between. Use your best judgment to meet this requirement. We present a few possibilities here, so do not feel constrained by this list.

Red flowers

• Columbine
• Rose
• Tulip

Orange flowers

• Daylily
• Marigold

Yellow flowers

• Goldenrod
• Daffodil
• Dandelion

Green flowers

• Maple (tree)
• Solomon's seal

Blue flowers

• Bluebell
• Pansy (some varieties)

Violet flowers

• Milkweed
• Self-heal
• Red clover

d. List flowers that you have observed being visited for food by the following:

• 1. Birds:
• 2. Honeybees:
• 3. Bumblebees:
• 4. Butterflies:
• 5. Moths: