Tepal

Tepal is a term in botany referring to the parts of a flower that are not differentiated into sepals and petals. This can happen in two ways: either the petals and sepals look alike (as in lilies), or the petals are absent and the sepals look like petals (as in tulips).

Etymology

The term "tepal" was first coined by Augustin Pyramus de Candolle in 1827. It is derived from the Greek words "teino" (to stretch) and "petalon" (petal), referring to the elongated petals of some flowers.

Description

In flowers with undifferentiated tepals, the term "perianth" is used to refer to the collective set of tepals. A flower with such tepals is described as "tepallate". Tepals are usually green, but can be brightly colored in some species. They can be either free (not joined) or fused (joined), and can vary in number from one to many.

Examples

Examples of plants with tepals include the lily, tulip, and onion. In these plants, the tepals are often brightly colored and attractive to pollinators.

See also

• Petal
• Sepal
• Perianth

References

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