Perianth

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Perianth \Per"i*anth\ (p[e^]r"[i^]*[a^]nth), n. [Pref. peri- +
     Gr. 'anqos flower: cf. F. p['e]rianthe.] (Bot.)
     (a) The leaves of a flower generally, especially when the
         calyx and corolla are not readily distinguished.
     (b) A saclike involucre which incloses the young fruit in
         most hepatic mosses. See Illust. of {Hepatica}.


         [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  perianth
       n : collective term for the outer parts of a flower consisting
           of the calyx and corolla and enclosing the stamens and
           pistils [syn: {chlamys}, {floral envelope}, {perigone}, {perigonium}]