Epicalyces

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A structure consisting of leafy appendages found beneath or around certain flowers, often serving to protect the developing flower buds
2. Referring to a group of modified leaves that encircle the base of a floral structure, enhancing its support and aesthetics
3. Describing the small, additional whorls of leaves that may arise near the flowers, contributing to the overall reproductive success of the plant

Etymology: The word is the plural of "epicalyx," a botanical term for a ring of bracts or small leaves that sits just outside the true calyx of a flower, as in the strawberry or the mallow. Its two halves are both Greek. "Epi" comes from the Greek preposition "epí," meaning "on," "upon," or "over," and "calyx" comes from the Greek "kalyx," meaning "husk" or "cup," which is also the source of the English word for the outer whorl of sepals. The compound is a modern scientific formation, built by English botanists from those classical parts rather than a term the ancient Greeks used. Its plural follows the Latinate pattern "calyx" to "calyces," so "epicalyces" is the form you will meet in botanical writing. The idea behind it is simple: an extra cup sitting on top of the real one.