corola

Corola is a term used in several Romance languages, notably Portuguese, to refer to the corolla, the collective petals of a flower. In English botanical usage, the corresponding term is corolla. The corola/corolla forms the inner whorl of the perianth and is typically the most conspicuous part of a flower, often colored, scented, and shaped to attract pollinators.

The corola can vary widely in morphology. Petals may be free or fused, producing either a simple arrangement of individual lobes or a tubular structure known as a corolla tube. The lobes or the tube can display radial symmetry (actinomorphic) or bilateral symmetry (zygomorphic). Color patterns, markings, and nectar guides on the corola are common features that aid in pollinator attraction.

Functionally, the corola protects the reproductive organs inside the flower and, through its visual and olfactory cues, facilitates pollination by guiding pollinators to the nectar and pollen. The corolla develops from the floral meristem and arises through a coordinated expression of organ identity genes that determine petal formation and positioning. In taxonomy and horticulture, descriptions of a plant’s corola—its color, size, and shape—are important for species identification and classification.

While corola primarily denotes a botanical term, the word can also appear as a proper noun in place names or family names in some regions. In scientific usage, however, it is most often encountered as a synonym or regional variant of corolla.