‖ Pentandria Bot.
(pɛnˈtændrɪə)
[mod.L. (Linnæus 1735), f. mod.L. pentandr-us, f. Gr. πεντ(α- five + ἀνδρ-, stem of ἀνήρ man, male, taken in sense ‘male organ’, stamen: see Monandria.]
The fifth class in the Linnæan Sexual System, comprising plants having five stamens not cohering. So penˈtander (rare) [F. pentandre], a pentandrous plant; penˈtandrian, penˈtandrious, and, (usually) penˈtandrous adjs., belonging to the class Pentandria; having five free stamens.
| 1760 J. Lee Introd. Bot. ii. xix. (1765) 113 Pentandria, comprehending such Plants as have five Stamina. 1785 Martyn Rousseau's Bot. ix. (1794) 88. 1806 J. Galpine Brit. Bot. 25 Tamarix. Flowers pentandrous. 1828–32 Webster, Pentander,..Pentandrian. 1830 Lindley Nat. Syst. Bot. 220 The pentandrous corolla and 5 lobed calyx. 1857 Mayne Expos. Lex. 902/2 Pentandrious, or pentandrous. 1875 Bennett & Dyer Sachs' Bot. 531 The same probably also happens in the pentandrous Hypericineæ. |