n., pl., -nodes, also -no·di·a (-nō'dē-ə).
A sterile stamen, sometimes resembling a petal, as in the canna.
[New Latin stāminōdium, from Latin stāmen, stāmin-, thread. See stamen.]
staminode
Dictionary:
stam·i·node (stā'mə-nōd', stăm'ə-)  also stam·i·no·di·um
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(stā'mə-nō'dē-əm, stăm'ə-)
n., pl., -nodes, also -no·di·a (-nō'dē-ə).
A sterile stamen, sometimes resembling a petal, as in the canna.
n., pl., -nodes, also -no·di·a (-nō'dē-ə).
A sterile stamen, sometimes resembling a petal, as in the canna.
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| Wikipedia: Staminode |
In botany, a staminode is an often rudimentary, sterile or abortive stamen. This means that it does not produce pollen. Staminodes are frequently inconspicuous and stamen-like, usually occurring at the inner whorl of the flower, but are also sometimes long enough to protrude from the corolla.
showing a hairy yellow staminode
Sometimes, the staminodes are modified to produce nectar, as in the Witch Hazel (Hamamelis).
Staminodes can be a critical characteristic for differentiating between species, for instance in the orchid genus Paphiopedilum, and among the penstemons.
In the case of Cannas the petals are inconsequential and the staminodes are refined into eye-catching petal-like replacements.
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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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| Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Staminode". Read more |
