Term:
Ovary half-inferior
Ovary half-inferior
Definition:
An ovary of Lecythidaceae that bulges upward at the summit making the ovary appear half-inferior in contrast to an inferior ovary which is truncate at the apex..
An ovary of Lecythidaceae that bulges upward at the summit making the ovary appear half-inferior in contrast to an inferior ovary which is truncate at the apex..
Notes:
A half-inferior ovary contrasts with an inferior ovary by having an ovary apex that bulges above the attachment of the hypanthium. The hypanthium consists of the fusion of sepals, petals, and stamens to the ovary. In an inferior ovary, the summet of the ovary is truncate and in a half-inferior ovary it is arched upward. A half-inferior ovary merits recognition because it helps in separating taxa of of some New World Lecythidaceae, e.g., the ovaries of the Lecythis pisonis clade have an inferior ovary whereas conspicuous half-inferior ovaries characterize species of the Couroupita, Eschweilera, and Grias clades, As in many characters it is easy to see the difference at the extremes of this feature but when all species are studied the differences may become less distinct.
A half-inferior ovary contrasts with an inferior ovary by having an ovary apex that bulges above the attachment of the hypanthium. The hypanthium consists of the fusion of sepals, petals, and stamens to the ovary. In an inferior ovary, the summet of the ovary is truncate and in a half-inferior ovary it is arched upward. A half-inferior ovary merits recognition because it helps in separating taxa of of some New World Lecythidaceae, e.g., the ovaries of the Lecythis pisonis clade have an inferior ovary whereas conspicuous half-inferior ovaries characterize species of the Couroupita, Eschweilera, and Grias clades, As in many characters it is easy to see the difference at the extremes of this feature but when all species are studied the differences may become less distinct.