Modified leaves that look like flowers are called bracts.
Bracts are specialized leaves or scales, often brightly colored, that are associated with a flower or inflorescence (cluster of flowers). They can closely resemble petals, serving to attract pollinators in a similar way to true petals. While the true flowers may be small or inconspicuous, the bracts surrounding them create a showy display.
Functions of Bracts:
- Attract Pollinators: This is perhaps the most well-known function. Bracts, with their often vibrant colors, lure insects, birds, or other animals to the flower.
- Protect Developing Flowers: Bracts can enclose and shield young flower buds from the elements (frost, excessive sunlight, rain) and from potential herbivores.
- Protect Developing Fruits: In some cases, bracts persist after flowering and protect the developing fruit.
Examples of Plants with Prominent Bracts:
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Poinsettias ( Euphorbia pulcherrima ): The vibrant red "petals" of a poinsettia are actually bracts. The true flowers are the small, yellow structures in the center.
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Bougainvillea: The papery, brightly colored structures surrounding the small, white flowers are bracts. They come in various colors like pink, purple, orange, and white.
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Dogwood ( Cornus florida ): The large, showy "petals" of the flowering dogwood are bracts. The actual flowers are the cluster of tiny greenish-yellow structures in the center.
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Jack-in-the-pulpit ( Arisaema triphyllum ): The "pulpit" is a spathe, a large bract that surrounds and protects the spadix (the "Jack"), which bears the tiny, true flowers.
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Clary Sage ( Salvia horminum ): While many salvias have attractive flowers, the clary sage is cultivated for its colorful bracts that persist long after the flowers are gone.
Why Bracts?
Bracts have evolved to perform a variety of functions that increase a plant's reproductive success. In some cases, plants might have small, relatively inconspicuous flowers. By developing brightly colored bracts, they can enhance their visibility and attractiveness to pollinators, ensuring that their flowers are visited and pollinated. This is particularly beneficial in environments where competition for pollinators is high or where the true flowers are easily overlooked.
