Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
staminate

staminate

1 9.9
A flower with male parts that make pollen but no female parts
  • adjective
  • /ˈstæməˌneɪt/
  • Specialized
: estaminal
  • Some trees produce separate staminate and pistillate blossoms on the same individual.

Examples

  • The staminate flowers release pollen early in the season to fertilize nearby plants.

  • The staminate flowers bloom in early spring.

  • Biologists examined the staminate structures to study the plant's reproductive cycle.

  • In botany, a staminate plant is crucial for pollination.

  • The staminate flowers bloomed early in the season, attracting many bees that sought pollen.

  • In many species, staminate plants are common, showcasing their bright yellow pollen-laden anthers.

  • She studied the staminate buds under the microscope to better understand their role in pollination.

Antonyms

pistillate
  • Specialized
1 9.8

A flower that has only female parts and no male parts

Surface Forms

staminate positive

Morphology

staminate = stamen (transparent) = stamen + ate

The adjective is a regular derivation meaning 'having stamens' formed by adding '-ate' to 'stamen', so the meaning follows directly from the base.

Etymology

Staminate comes from the Latin word stamen, which meant 'thread' and later became the name for the male parts of a flower called the stamens. So a staminate flower has these stamens and makes pollen, meaning it is the male part of the plant.