noun
- Plural of epicalyx; a whorl of bracts or leaf-like structures situated just below the calyx of a flower.
Usage: botanical term; also called an outer calyx or false calyx
Examples
- The epicalyces of the strawberry flower are often mistaken for sepals by casual observers.
- Many plants in the Rosaceae family display prominent epicalyces beneath their true calyces.
- Botanists examine the epicalyces to help classify and identify different flowering plant species.
- The epicalyces provide additional protection to the developing flower bud.
- In some flowers, the epicalyces persist and become visible on the mature fruit.