Korolla

Korolla is a term used in botany, often as an alternative spelling of corolla, the collective term for the petals of a flower. The word comes from Latin corolla, meaning “little crown,” and in various languages or transliteration systems it appears as korolla.

In flower morphology, the korolla forms the inner whorl of the perianth and consists of the petals, which are typically colored to attract pollinators and may be scented. Petals can be free or fused; when fused they may form a tube called a corolla tube. Corolla shapes range from actinomorphic, wheel-like or funnel-shaped to zygomorphic, such as bilabiate or papilionaceous forms.

Functions include attracting pollinators, guiding them to nectar and pollen, and protecting the reproductive organs. The presence, arrangement, and fusion of the petals are important diagnostic features in plant identification and taxonomy. For example, many Fabaceae species have a papilionaceous corolla with a standard, wings, and keel, while various other families exhibit a tubular, bell-shaped, or star-shaped corolla.

In horticulture and plant science, korolla color, size, and symmetry influence cultivar development and pollinator interactions. The term is often encountered in botanical descriptions and comparative morphology, where precise corolla characteristics help distinguish genera and species.

See also corolla, perianth, flower morphology.