petallessadj.
/ˈpɛt(ə)lləs/, U.S. /ˈpɛdə(l)ləs/ Lacking petals; apetalous.
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the world > plants > part of plant > reproductive part(s) > flower or part containing reproductive organs > [adjective] > having or relating to parts > of or having petals > not having petals
apetalous1706
herbaceous1785
oleraceous1785
petalless?1803
apetaloid1861
?1803–4 H. C. Andrews Botanist's Repository V. Pl. CCCXVI Olea Apetala. Petal-less Olive.
1824 J. C. Loudon Green-house Compan. ii. 83 Petalless Pomaderris, a shrub from New Holland.
1882 Nature 17 Aug. 373/1 It has tiny green petalless axillary flowers.
1989 BBONT News May 7/1 Plants that grow in still water..are the duckweeds..with no stems and minute petalless flowers.
2003 Essex Chron. (Nexis) 24 Jan. (Leisure section) 25 The Persian ironwood is most notably grown for its bright red petalless flowers at this time of year.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2005; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adj.?1803