Bract Login         

Shrubby Alkali Aster

 Bracts are structures that form behind the base of one or more flowers. They may look like small leaves, scales, woody structures, or petals, depending on the plant. In many cases bracts help protect the developing flowers and fruits they enclose. Showy bracts help attract pollinators.

As you can see below, bracts vary widely in appearance.

Bracts can have specific names in certain situations:
  • Aster family bracts are called phyllaries.
  • Grass bracts are called lemma, palea and glume, depending on their position around the flower.

   Examples
    

Shasta Aster has several layers of bracts. Compared to Fleabane bracts (see next photo), Aster bracts tend to be disorganized and in many layers.
Fleabanes have relatively smooth and organized bracts compared to Asters. This Silver Fleabane's bracts form a cup-like shape around the flower head ...
A showy yellow hooded bract encloses a spike of tiny Skunk Cabbage flowers.
Dogwood bracts open up around a cluster of flowers. Their big white surface helps attract pollinators to the tiny flowers.
Pine cones have many wooden bracts, each protecting an ovule that, when pollinated, develops a seed that drops to the ground. Some pine cones stay ...
Almost every grass has tiny flowers covered by bracts. In Wild Oats, the bracts are several inches long, and covers tiny flowers less than 1/4" long. ...

Thistles generally have pointed bracts, which help protect the flowers from grazing animals. This Milk Thistle has a couple rows of long pointed brac ...
Here is a Hoary Manzanita flower preparing to open up. Each emerging flower has tiny leaf-like bracts protecting it. These nascent inflorescences ...