Word day Thursday: Epipetalous

Term and pronunciation Epipetalous (epee-peta-luss)
Etymology This word is a combination of the prefix - Epi combind with Petal and closed with the suffix Ous.
 
Meaning
The stalk of the stamen, the filament, grows upon the sides of the corolla.

Usage and examples
The corolla being the collective term for petals of the flower. Therefore this means that only the filament part of the stamen is fused to the petals; the anther is not connected to the petals.

Plants that show this type of growth include primulas and petunias

Here's an example from: http://herbarium.usu.edu/images/Dicots/Primulaceae/primula2.jpg

History
The earliest reference to the word epipetalous occurring in the OED Online is by John Lindley in the publication School Botany in 1839.

Bibliography 
"epipetalous, adj.". OED Online. December 2012. Oxford University Press. 12 March 2013 <http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/63444?redirectedFrom=epipetalous&>. 
"Stamen" Wikpedia.org. February 2013. Wikipedia 12 March 2013 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stamen>
"Primula2" Herbarium 14 March 2013 <http://herbarium.usu.edu/images/Dicots/Primulaceae/primula2.jpg>