Chalice (botanical)
See also: Chalice
In Botanical, the chalice is consisted the whole of the Sépale S. First floral Verticille, it has a protective role of the Fleur.
The sepals have the structure of a Feuille and are generally green. Sometimes, they have the structure and the color of the petals, one says them “petaloid” sepals. It is the case for example of the Tulipe whose 3 sepals are identical to the 3 Pétale S. At the Monocotylédone S the appendices at the same time sepal and petal name tepal.
It is said that the chalice is “dialysépale”, when the sepals are independent from/to each other, for example for the Renoncule, and “gamosépale”, when the sepals are, more or less, welded by their base, as for the Primevère.
The lifespan of the chalice is variable. The chalice is generally null and void, i.e. it falls at the time from blooming from the flower. But it can also be persistent and remain at the base of the fruit (chalice marcescent), to even increase after fecundation (chalice accrescent).
There exists sometimes a “calicle”, formed of small sheets alternating with the sepals, which doubles the chalice. It is the case at the strawberry plant.