244 THE FLOWEB. 



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 two sepals ; Trisepalous, of three ; Tetrasepalous, 

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

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



Dipetalous, Tripetcdous, Tetrapetalous, Pentapetalous (2-5- 

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



442. Monophyttous, Mbnosepalous, and Monopetalous are the 

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

 single leaf. Likewise Polyphyllous, Polysepalous, and Polypetal- 

 ous for the case of a considerable but unspecified number of 

 members. Unfortunately, in the Linnsean and long-prevalent 

 use, monopetalous was the term employed to designate a corolla 

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

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

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

 petalous, polysepalous, and polyphyllous were the counterparts 

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

 number. The misleading use, consecrated by long prescription, 

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

 descriptive botany, a polyphyllous calyx, or a poly petalous 

 corolla, or a 5 -petalous 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. (329.) 



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, Gamosepalous for the calyx ; 

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

 leading names Monopetalous and Monosepalous, although current 

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

 not rarely used in Germany, that of Sympetalous, for the gamo- 

 petalous (or formerly monopetalous) corolla, therefore Syn- 

 sepalous for a similar calyx. It is perhaps a more apt term 

 than gamopetalous, 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. (442.) It is adopted by Eichler, &c. Chori- 

 sepalous is the term applied to the calyx. Dialypetcdous (em- 

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

 and choripetalous carry the implication of separated, rather 



