# acalycine

CEFR C2 · Adjective

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/acalycine
Updated: 2026-05-26

## Definition

describing a type of plant that does not have a calyx. The calyx is the outer ring of leaves at the base of a flower.

For teachers: lacking a calyx; pertaining to plants whose flowers do not possess an outer whorl of sepals.

## Examples

- The acalycine plant has no outer petals.
- Botanists identified the specimen as an acalycine species because its flowers lacked the typical protective outer layer.
- In some acalycine species, the absence of a calyx is compensated by the development of a thickened hypanthium that provides structural support to the reproductive organs.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.