Question

Define the term epipetalous stamen.

Answer 1

Hint: This condition is found in brinjal where stamens of the flowers are connected with the other parts of a flower like petals. In China rose, the stamens are united into one bunch or one bundle; this condition is known as monadelphous.

Complete Answer:
Epipetalous are those flowers in which the androecium (anther) is attached with the petals of the flower. The flowers of devil’s trumpet (Datura metel) have epipetalous stamens.

 But in some plants like Lily sepals and petals are the same which are called perianth and when anther is attached to perianth it called epiphyllous. On the other side, epiphyllous condition is the one in which the stamens are fused with tepals (whorls of perianth) as found in the liliaceae family.

Additional information:
 Based on the respective size of different stamens in a flower, they are classified as tetradynamous, didynamous and heterostamonous. Presence of six stamens, two shorter in outer whorl and four longer in inner whorl, is referred as tetradynamous which is characteristic of crucifers, for example Brassica.

Note: Epipetalous stamens with free filaments and fused anthers develop in asteraceae. Asteraceae consist of five stamens with open filaments. This family exhibits a syngenesious phenomenon where the anthers are together developing a tube enclosing the style.