anatropous, a. Bot.
(əˈnætrəpəs)
[f. mod.L. anatrop-us, a. assumed Gr. *ἀνάτροπος turned upside down (f. ἀνά up + -τροπος, f. τρέπειν to turn) + -ous.]
Said of the ovule of phanerogamous plants when its nucleus, with its integuments, is inverted, so that its apex points to the base of the ovule. Opposed to orthotropous, in which the nucleus is erect within the ovule.
| 1847 in Craig. 1857 Henfrey Bot. 130 The anatropous ovule is only an orthotropous ovule with a long funiculus confluent with the outer coat. 1875 Bennet & Dyer tr. Sachs's Bot. 501 The usual form of the ovule of angiosperms is the anatropous. |