sepaled

Sepaled is a botanical adjective used to describe a plant, flower, or inflorescence that possesses sepals as part of its calyx. The sepals are the outer floral organs that encircle and typically protect the developing bud; together they form the calyx. The term emphasizes the presence, arrangement, or prominence of sepals, distinguishing such flowers from those in which the calyx is reduced, absent, or where the perianth is composed mainly of petals or tepals.

In sepaled flowers, the sepals may be green or colored, and they can be free (distinct) or fused to form structures such as a cup-shaped calyx. The petals, when present, lie inside the calyx, and in some species the sepals are broad and leaf-like, while in others they are small or inconspicuous. The term does not specify whether petals are present or absent; it simply notes that sepals are a defining component of the flower.

Usage and context: Sepaled is mainly found in technical floras and taxonomic descriptions. It is relatively uncommon in everyday botany, where authors more often refer to the calyx or to the presence and morphology of sepals. As with many morphological terms, sepaled is most informative when used alongside other characters such as petalization, perianth structure, and overall floral symmetry.

See also: Calyx, Sepal, Perianth, Petal.