Q.In epigynous flower, ovary is situated below the _____________.

In an epigynous flower, the margin of the thalamus grows upward around the ovary and fuses completely with it, so the ovary becomes embedded and appears to sit lower than the rest of the flower. As a consequence, the calyx, corolla and androecium all arise from a position above the ovary rather than below it, and the ovary itself is described as inferior. Guava, cucumber and the ray florets of sunflower are examples of this arrangement.

• Thalamus margin grows up and fuses with the ovary …

The position of a flower's floral whorls relative to its ovary is described in three ways, depending on how the thalamus develops around the gynoecium.

• In a hypogynous flower, the gynoecium occupies the highest position on the thalamus while the other whorls sit below it, giving a superior ovary, as in mustard.
• In a perigynous flower, the gynoecium sits in the centre with the other whorls arranged around it at nearly the same level, giving a half-inferior ovary, as in plum and rose.
• In an epigynous flower, the margin of the thalamus grows upward, completely enclosing the ovary and fusing with it, so that the remaining floral parts are pushed to arise from above the ovary rather than around or below it. …

Method: Locate the Answer by Comparing Against the Two Related Fill-in-Types

Because epigynous, hypogynous and perigynous are frequently confused with each other, the most reliable method is to place all three side by side and use a vertical-position ladder, top, middle, bottom, rather than trying to recall the epigynous definition alone.

Build the ladder: in a hypogynous flower, the ovary is at the top of the thalamus, and the other parts, calyx, corolla, androecium, are below it, so the ovary is superior. In a perigynous flower, the ovary is in the middle, and the other parts are around it at the same level, so the ovary is half-inferior. In an epigynous flower, the ovary is at the bottom, and the other parts are above it, so the ovary is inferior.

Notice the ladder is symmetric, hypogynous and epigynous are opposites of each other, ovary on top versus ovary on bottom, with perigynous exactly in between.

Since the question specifically names epigynous, go to the bottom rung of the ladder, in this condition the thalamus margin has grown up and fused completely around the ovary, so the ovary is embedded low, and everything else, calyx, corolla, androecium, is pushed to arise from above it. …