Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com

epigynous

American  
[ih-pij-uh-nuhs] / ɪˈpɪdʒ ə nəs /

adjective

Botany.
  1. (of flowers) having all floral parts conjoint and generally divergent from the ovary at or near its summit.

  2. (of stamens, petals, etc.) having the parts so arranged.


epigynous British  
/ ɪˈpɪdʒɪnəs /

adjective

  1. (of flowers) having the receptacle enclosing and fused with the gynoecium so that the other floral parts arise above it

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

epigynous Scientific  
/ ĭ-pĭjə-nəs /
  1. Having floral parts (such as the petals and stamens) attached to or near the upper part of the ovary, as in the flower of the apple, cucumber, or daffodil.

  2. Compare hypogynous perigynous


Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of epigynous

First recorded in 1820–30; epi- + -gynous

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

The plants with hypogynous flowers should, as a rule, have less seed and more vigorous and abundant foliage than those at the other extreme with epigynous flowers.

From Darwinism (1889) by Wallace, Alfred Russel

A still further advance is made by the contraction of the axis, so as to leave the central part forming the ovary quite below the flower, which is then termed epigynous.

From Darwinism (1889) by Wallace, Alfred Russel

But the hypogynous poppies, pinks, and St. John's worts have abundance of seed and rather scanty foliage; while the epigynous dogwoods and honeysuckles have few seeds and abundant foliage.

From Darwinism (1889) by Wallace, Alfred Russel

In Umbelliferæ the epigynous condition is changed for the perigynous, &c.

From Vegetable Teratology An Account of the Principal Deviations from the Usual Construction of Plants by Masters, Maxwell T.

The flowers are unisexual, and strikingly epigynous, the perianth and stamens being attached to a bell-shaped prolongation of the receptacle above the ovary.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 7, Slice 8 "Cube" to "Daguerre, Louis" by Various

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Dictionary.com's Learning Companion

Go beyond just looking up words.
Remember them forever with VocabTrainer.

Start training