hypanthium: Definition from Answers.com

A hypanthium is a floral structure consisting of the bases of the sepals, petals, and stamens fused together. Its presence is diagnostic of many families, including the Rosaceae, Grossulariaceae, and Fabaceae. In some cases, it can be so deep, with such a narrow top, that the flower can appear to have an inferior ovary.

In eucalyptus this structure is commonly known as the gum nut.

Geometrics

The various shapes of the hypanthium structure are useful in species identification. A diversity of geometric forms are associated with the hypanthium including obconic forms such as found in Toyon^[1] or saucer-shaped as found in some species of the genus Mitellastra.^[2]

Line notes

^ C. Michael Hogan, PhD (September 18, 2008). "Toyon Heteromeles arbutifolia". GlobalTwitcher (Nicklas Stromberg, ed.).. http://globaltwitcher.auderis.se/artspec_information.asp?thingid=84109&lang=us. Retrieved April 15, 2009.
^ LeRoy Abrams (1951). Illustrated Flora of the Pacific States. Stanford University Press. ISBN 0804700044.

External links

Hypanthium images on MorphBank, a biological image database

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		Dictionary. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. Read more
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