A Grammatical Dictionary of Botanical Latin

gamosepalus,-a,-um (adj.A): with sepals united from the base upwards; “having the sepals united” (Fernald 1950); syn. synsepalus,-a,-um (adj.A); opp. aposepalus,-a,-um (adj.A) = chorisepalus,-a,-um (adj.A) = dialysepalus,-a,-um (adj.A) = polysepalus,-a,-um (adj.A); see ‘gamo-;‘ see coalescens,-entis (part.B);

- FRANKENIACEAE. Omnia Caryophyllearum gamosepalarum nisi placentae parietales (B&H), all [species] of the gamosepalous Caryophyllaceae except the placentae parietal.

- sepala 4, rarissime 5, libera v. ima basi connata, rarius gamosepala (B&H), sepals 4, very rarely 5, free or connate at the lowermost base, more rarely gamosepalous.

- nostra tamen sententia longe differt corolla omnino gamopetala a calyce gamosepalo distincta, staminum insertione, aliisque notis (B&H), however, our opinion is far different by the entirely gamopetalous corolla distinct from the gamosepalous calyx, by the insertion of the stamens and other characters.

- calyx gamosepalus, tubulosus, persistens (B&H), the calyx gamosepalous [i.e. with sepals united from the base upwards], tubulose persistent.

Sepal, a division of a calyx; the collective term for all of the sepals of a flower is the calyx, q.v.: sepalum,-i (s.n.II), abl. sg. sepalo; see sepal.

“In their direction, the sepals are either erect (turned upwards); cormivent (turned inwards); divergent or patulous (when spreading outwards) ; or reflexed, (when their extremities are turned downwards)” (Bentley).

“The sepals may be either distinct from each other, ...; or more or less united into one body. In the former case, the calyx is usually termed polysepalons, polyphyllous, or dialysepalous; in the latter it is commonly called monosepalous. But this latter term is incorrect, as it indicates literally one sepal; and hence many botanists use instead the more correct term of gamosepalous calyx, which simply implies that the sepals are united.” (Bentley).

“All calyces that are adherent to the ovary, or which support the corolla or stamens, or which accompany a gamopetalous corolla, are gamosepalous, and of course persistent. It is very rare that a calyx which is not gamosepalous is persistent (S.Gray).

“In a monosepalous [i.e. gamosepalous] calyx in which the union exists in a marked degree, the part where the sepals are united is called the ‘tube,’ the free portion the ‘limb,’ and the orifice of the tube the ‘throat’ or ‘faux.’ (Bentley).