244 THE FLOWER. 



of the organ, i. e. whether calyx or corolla is to be specified, 

 the word sepal or petal is employed in the combination ; as. 



Disepalous, of 1 \\ <> .sepals ; Trisepalous, of three ; Tetrasepulous, 

 of four ; Pentasepalous, of five (also written 5-sepalous, and ac- 

 cordingly 2-sepalous, 3-sepalous), and so on: also, 



Dlfx'inlnus, Tripetalous, Tetrapetalous, Pentapetalous (2-5- 

 petalous), &c., when the corolla is concerned. 



412. Monophyttous, Monosepalous, and Monopetalous are the 

 proper terms for perianth (calyx, corolla, &c.) composed of a 

 single leaf. Likewise PolyphyUous, Potysepalous, and J J <>/>/j>r/i//- 

 ous for the case of a considerable but unspecified number of 

 members. Unfortunately, in the Linua-an and long-prevalent 

 use, monopetalous was the term employed to designate a corolla 

 of one piece iii the sense, or the fact, of a coalescence or grow- 

 ing together of two, three, five, or more petals into a cup or 

 lube ; and so of a calyx, of a whorl of bracts, &c. And poly- 

 petalons, polysepalous, and polyphyllous were the counterparts 

 of this, meaning of more Mian one distinct piece, whatever the 

 number. The misleading use, consecrated b}' long prescription, 

 is not yet abandoned, but will in time be obsolete. In present 

 descriptive botany, a polyphyllous calyx, or a polypctalous 

 corolla, or a 5-petalons corolla, would be taken to mean that the 

 sepals or petals (as the case may be) were distinct or uncom- 

 bined, and a monopetalous corolla to be one with petals combined 

 by coalescence. (.'J2'.).) 



443. Terms of Union or Separation. The proper term for a 

 corolla or a calyx the leaves of which are more or less coalescent 

 into a cup or tube is 



Gamopetalous for such a corolla, Gamosepalnns for the calyx : 

 these terms meaning united petals or sepals. The older and mis- 

 leading names Mbnopetalous &nd Monosepalous, although current 

 up to a recent day, should be discontinued. Another term is 

 not rarely used in (lermany, that of Si/ni/x-fn/mts. for the gamo- 

 petalons (or formerly nionopetalons) corolla. --therefore .s////- 

 SI'/HI/IIHS for a similar calyx. It is perhaps a more apt term 

 than gamopeta lous, and of the same etymological signification; 

 but the latter is already well in use. 



Choripetalous is, on the whole, the most fitting name for a 

 corolla the petals of which are separate' (as it literally expresses 

 this), that is, for what is still commonly called Polypetalous, as 

 already explained. ( M2.) It is adopted by Eichler, &c. C/tori- 

 eepalous is the term applied to the calyx. Diali/petalous (em- 

 ployed by Kndlicher) has the same meaning. Both this term 

 and choripetalous carry the implication of separated, rather 



