Plan the perfect garden with our interactive tool →

Types of Petals

...
orchid image by Annett Goebel from Fotolia.com

Although there are not different types of flower petals, some parts of a flower can often appear to be a petal. Orchids, for example, have flower components that either are larger than the petals or appear to be petals. Even though they are not technically petals, they are called petals in common conversation.

Corolla

A flower's corolla is the second row of thin structures that unfurl as the flower blooms. These sequential rows are called "whorls." The corolla is usually what people think of as flowers. Some corollas unfold into solid forms, like in carnations. In other flowers, they unfold into individual petals. The corolla, or petals, usually contains the brightly colored portion of the flower. These colors have evolved to attract insects and animals that help with flower reproduction via pollination. The whorl that contains the corolla is protected by the calyx, or outermost whorl, while the flower is in bud form.

  • Although there are not different types of flower petals, some parts of a flower can often appear to be a petal.
  • The corolla, or petals, usually contains the brightly colored portion of the flower.

Sepal

The sepals are part of the calyx. The sepals are green, petal-like structures on many flowers. On other flowers, such as some carnivorous plants, sepals can form traps to keep insects immobilized while the flower extracts nutrients from the insect. Although sepals on many plants are green, on some flowers they can appear to be the main petals or can be almost identical in color or shape to the petals formed by the corolla. In these cases, the sepals are often called "petals."

Tepal

In flowers where the corolla and sepals are very similar in color and where the two structures merge to form what appears to be a series of petals, the sepals and corolla are called tepals. A common flower that has tepals is the phalaenopsis orchid. This orchid appears to have five petals with a lower petal that curves up. These petals look the same, but are different floral structures. The flower has a corona that forms the two petals on the right and left of the flower. The top "petal" is a sepal, as are the two "petals" below the petals formed by the corolla. The lower petal that curls up is, in fact, a reproductive structure that is called a lip.

  • The sepals are part of the calyx.
  • Although sepals on many plants are green, on some flowers they can appear to be the main petals or can be almost identical in color or shape to the petals formed by the corolla.

Related Articles

Parts of a Daisy Flower
Parts of a Daisy Flower
Essential Parts of the Flower
Essential Parts of the Flower
Parts of a Composite Flower
Parts of a Composite Flower
Six Parts of a Flower
Six Parts of a Flower
Parts of the Gumamela Flower
Parts of the Gumamela Flower
Parts of a Magnolia Flower
Parts of a Magnolia Flower
Parts of a Complete Flower
Parts of a Complete Flower
5 Parts of a Flower
5 Parts of a Flower
What Is a Simple Flower?
What Is a Simple Flower?
Flowering Plants Characteristics
Flowering Plants Characteristics
How to Distinguish Between the Pistil & the Stamen of a Plant
How to Distinguish Between the Pistil & the Stamen...
Anatomy of a Tomato Plant Flower
Anatomy of a Tomato Plant Flower
The Parts of an Iris Flower
The Parts of an Iris Flower
Which Parts of the Flower Develop Into the Seeds?
Which Parts of the Flower Develop Into the Seeds?
Garden Guides
×