Polypetalous

Polypetalous is a botanical term describing a flower whose corolla is composed of separate, freely standing petals. In a polypetalous flower, the petals are not fused at their bases and each petal remains distinct from the others. This is in contrast to a sympetalous or gamopetalous corolla, where the petals are united to form a tube, bell, or other consolidated structure.

The term is descriptive and used in morphology and systematics to characterize floral architecture. Polypetalous flowers are common in many dicot lineages, including the buttercups (Ranunculaceae) and poppies (Papaveraceae), where the corolla typically consists of five distinct petals. However, petal fusion can vary among related species, and some genera may exhibit partial fusion or transitional states between polypetalous and sympetalous forms.

Polypetaly can aid in comparing taxa and understanding evolutionary relationships, but it does not by itself determine ecological function or pollination strategy. In broader discussions of flower structure, polypetalous versus fused corollas are part of a suite of characters used to describe perianth organization and to reconstruct phylogenetic patterns across angiosperms.