Term:

Medial longitudinal section

Definition:

A cut along the long axis of a flower such that the style is also cut lontidutinally.

Notes:

In the Lecythidaceae, a medial longitudinal section (running down the middle of a flower or other structure) is needed to see features used for classification of the family, such as the ovary summit, the style, the presence of nectaries, the structure of the androecial hood, and placentation features. Longitudinal sections that are not medial do not show the characters as well.