pentamerous

American  

[pen-tam-er-uhs] / pɛnˈtæm ər əs /

adjective

1. consisting of or divided into five parts.

2. Botany. (of flowers) having five members in each whorl.

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pentamerous British  

/ pɛnˈtæmərəs /

adjective

1. consisting of five parts, esp (of flowers) having the petals, sepals, and other parts arranged in groups of five

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Other Word Forms

• pentamerism noun
• pentamery noun

Etymology

Origin of pentamerous

From the New Latin word pentamerus, dating back to 1820–30. See penta-, -merous

Example Sentences

Hydradephaga; -ous: applied to aquatic, predatory pentamerous beetles with filiform antennae: see adephagous.

From Explanation of Terms Used in Entomology by Smith, John. B.

Adephagous: belonging to the Adephaga: pentamerous, predatory, terrestrial beetles with filiform antennae and predatory habits: see hydradephagous.

From Explanation of Terms Used in Entomology by Smith, John. B.

Thus the formula S5P5St5C5 means that the flower is perfect, and has pentamerous symmetry, the whorls being isomerous.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 10, Slice 5 "Fleury, Claude" to "Foraker" by Various

In the British Adoxa the uppermost flower generally has two calyx-lobes with the other organs tetramerous, while the surrounding flowers generally have three calyx-lobes with the other organs pentamerous.

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

In the large tropical genus Croton a pentamerous calyx and corolla are generally present, the stamens are often very numerous, and the female flower has three carpels.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 9, Slice 8 "Ethiopia" to "Evangelical Association" by Various