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Blüthendiagramme. A; quincuncial, B-C; ascending and descending cochlear, D-E; left- and right-twisted, F: irregular cochlear. The terms used to describe aestivation are the same as those used to describe leaf vernation. Classes of aestivation include: •
crumpled •
decussate •
imbricate – overlapping •
contorted or
twisted – every petal or sepal is outside its neighbour on one margin, and inside its neighbour on the other margin. •
cochleate – spirally twisted; may also refer to arrangements where one petal has its two edges outside those of the adjacent petals, one has its two edges both inside, and the other petals have one edge outside and the other inside. •
contortiplicate – contorted and also
plicate. •
quincuncial – with five parts, where two petals or sepals are outside all others, two are inside all others, and the fifth is outside on one margin and inside on the other. •
induplicate – folded inwards. •
open – petals or sepals do not overlap or even touch each other . •
reduplicate – folded outwards. •
valvate – margins of adjacent petals or sepals touch each other without overlapping. •
vexillary – a special type of aestivation occurring in plants like pea; in this type of aestivation a large petal called
standard encloses two smaller petals. == References ==