Ovary inferior

• Title

  Ovary inferior

• Definition

  An ovary in which the other floral parts (calyx, corolla, and stamens) arise from the summit of the ovary.

• Notes

  We have concluded that all species of Lecythidaceae have inferior ovaries but sometimes the summit of the ovary extends beyond the attachment of the ovary and ovaries of this type are called half-inferior ovaries. We include half-inferior ovaries in our concept of inferior ovary because the ovules are attached below or at the upper most attachment of the hypanthium. In some genera (e.g., Eschweilera and Grias) the summit of the ovary bulges upward because of the expansion of the style and/or the expansion of the summit of the ovary. The character is useful for separating some clades of Lecythidaceae from others, e.g., the Lecythis pisonis (all have inferior ovaries) clade can be separated from the Eschweilera clade (most have half-inferior ovaries).

• Related Terms

  Ovary half-inferior

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