Gynaeceum

/dʒɪˈniːʃəm/ noun

Definition

The female reproductive organ of a flower, consisting of the ovary, style, and stigma combined together as one unit.

Etymology

From Greek 'gynaikeia' (feminine) derived from 'gyne' (woman), via Latin botanical terminology established by Linnaeus in the 18th century to classify flower reproductive structures.

Kelly Says

When botanists named the flower's female parts 'gynaeceum,' they were thinking of how women's reproductive organs are internal—and it actually fits perfectly because the ovary develops inside the flower too!

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