Monocarpellary refers to a gynoecium (the female reproductive part of a flower) that consists of only one carpel.
Here's a breakdown:
- Carpel: The basic structural unit of the gynoecium. It's composed of the stigma, style, and ovary. The ovary contains the ovules, which, after fertilization, develop into seeds.
- Gynoecium: The collective term for all the carpels in a flower. It's the female reproductive organ.
- Monocarpellary Condition: When a flower's gynoecium is formed from a single, solitary carpel, it's described as monocarpellary.
Example:
Many members of the pea family (Fabaceae) exhibit a monocarpellary gynoecium.
In summary, monocarpellary describes a flower that possesses a gynoecium made up of just one carpel, responsible for housing the ovules and eventually developing into the fruit.
