Question

What is the edible portion of cauliflower ?

• A. Modified leaves
• B. Modified flowers
• C. Modified inflorescence
• D. Modified stem

Hint:

The white head or "curd" of a cauliflower that we eat is botanically a modified inflorescence. It's a compact mass of undeveloped flower buds and their thickened stalks, formed from the plant's apical meristem.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

Cauliflower (Brassica oleracea var. botrytis) is cultivated for its edible head, often called a "curd." Botanically, this curd is a modified inflorescence or, more specifically, a pre-floral fleshy apical meristem that has undergone extensive branching and proliferation to form a compact mass of undeveloped flower buds and thickened flower stalks (peduncles). Let's look at the options:
(1) Modified leaves: While leaves surround the curd, the curd itself is not made of leaves.
(2) Modified flowers: The curd consists of numerous undeveloped flower primordia (rudimentary flower buds), so it's more than just "modified flowers"; it's the entire structure that would have developed into many flowers.
(3) Modified inflorescence: This is the most accurate botanical description. An inflorescence is a flower-bearing shoot system. In cauliflower, this system becomes highly condensed and fleshy before the flowers actually open.
(4) Modified stem: While the curd arises from an apical stem meristem, the edible structure itself is primarily composed of branched floral structures, not just a swollen stem like kohlrabi. Therefore, the edible portion of cauliflower is a modified inflorescence. Modified inflorescence