gynoecium
/ɡʌɪˈniːsɪəm
/ /dʒʌɪˈniːsɪəm/noun (plural gynoecia /ɡʌɪˈniːsɪə/ /dʒʌɪˈniːsɪə/) Botany
The female part of a flower, consisting of one or more carpels.In Convolvulaceae the median plane of the flower bisects the two carpels of the gynoecium and is axillary....
- Because valves are scored to determine the numbers of carpels present within a gynoecium, flowers with one or zero valves could affect the mean carpel number.
- The gynoecium has three carpels united to form a compound ovary with three styles that are short when the flowers open and that elongate gradually.
Origin
Mid 19th century: modern Latin, from Greek gunaikeion 'women's apartments', from gunē, gunaik- 'woman, female' + oikos 'house'.