peloria

American  

[puh-lawr-ee-uh, -lohr-] / pəˈlɔr i ə, -ˈloʊr- /

noun

Botany.

1. regularity of structure occurring abnormally in flowers normally irregular.

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peloria British  

/ -ˈlɒ-, pɛˈlɔːrɪə, pɛˈlɔːrɪk /

noun

1. the abnormal production of actinomorphic flowers in a plant of a species that usually produces zygomorphic flowers

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Other Word Forms

• peloric adjective

Etymology

Origin of peloria

1855–60; < New Latin < Greek pélōr ( os ) monstrous ( pélōr monster + -os adj. suffix) + -ia -ia

Example Sentences

From the same journal the following account of a case of peloria in Phalænopsis Schilleriana is also cited as a good illustration of this peculiar change.

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

Fusion of one or more flowers is also a common accompaniment of peloria, as in Digitalis purpurea, in which plant prolification often adds increased complexity to the flower.

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

We know, at least, that with irregular flowers those nearest to the axis are most subject to peloria, that is to become abnormally symmetrical.

From The Origin of Species by means of Natural Selection, 6th Edition by Darwin, Charles

Cases of peloria are not included in the subjoined list.

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

The occurrence both of regular and irregular peloria on the same plant has frequently been observed in Linaria.

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