Trimorphism

1 definition found

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

  Trimorphism \Tri*mor"phism\, n. [See {Trimorphic}.]
     1. (Crystallog.) The property of crystallizing in three forms
        fundamentally distinct, as is the case with titanium
        dioxide, which crystallizes in the forms of rutile,
        octahedrite, and brookite. See {Pleomorphism}.
        [1913 Webster]


  
     2. (Biol.) The coexistence among individuals of the same
        species of three distinct forms, not connected, as a rule,
        by intermediate gradations; the condition among
        individuals of the same species of having three different
        shapes or proportions of corresponding parts; --
        contrasted with {polymorphism}, and dimorphism.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     {Heterogonous trimporphism} (Bot.), that condition in which
        flowers of plants of the same species have three different
        lengths of stamens, short, medium, and long, the blossoms
        of one individual plant having short and medium stamens
        and a long style, those of another having short and long
        stamens and a style of medium length, and those of a third
        having medium and long stamens and a short style, the
        style of each blossom thus being of a length not
        represented by its stamens.
        [1913 Webster]