Gynophore (Noun)
Meaning
The stalk of a pistil that raises it above the receptacle.
Classification
Nouns denoting plants.
Examples
- In botany, a gynophore is a stalk that raises the ovary or pistil above the receptacle, as seen in species such as the passionflower.
- The gynophore is often associated with increased fertility in certain plant species.
- Botanists define the gynophore as a structure that elongates after pollination to distance the fruit from the parent plant.
- Gynophores allow flowers like Cucumis and Adenia to access pollinators that cannot reach low-growing or receptacle-bound stigmas.
- Floral evolution theories include gynophore length variation as an adaptation mechanism for expanding species' ranges.