The petals form the corolla of a plant.
The first step we are going to take before entering fully into establishing the meaning of the word petal is to determine its etymological origin. In this sense, we can say that it emanates from Greek, specifically from the term petalon , which can be translated as "wide thing."
A petal is a leaf that, through evolutionary development, acquired different characteristics and underwent a significant transformation. The petals make up the corolla of the plant and are found within the structure known as the perianth , which is around the reproductive organs of the flower .
For example: "I love roses with white petals," "Geraniums, with their violet petals, brightened the garden," "When I was little, we plucked the petals from daisies to ask fate if a boy loved us or not." .
Petals and romance
Nowadays petals are very important in wedding celebrations. And, just as happens with rice, the flower petals are thrown to the couple who have just gotten married. Specifically, these are thrown to them with the same meaning as the other element, with the clear objective of wishing them happiness and also fertility, so that they have offspring.
In the same way, petals have also become a symbol of romanticism. For this reason, it is common that when a boy or girl organizes a romantic and intimate evening for their partner, they do not hesitate to fill the bed or the floor of the room with them.
Rose petals have a symbolism associated with romanticism.
Beneficial baths
We must not forget either that taking a bath in water where there are rose petals is highly advisable because these are really beneficial:
– They give the skin a very pleasant aroma.
– They make the skin much softer and also “rejuvenate” after the body, due to various circumstances, is fatigued.
– In the same way, its fragrance is considered to awaken the passion of the couple. Specifically, rose petals are believed to be a magnificent aphrodisiac.
Petal characteristics
The usual thing is that the petals are colorful and that they define the aesthetics of the plant in question. The color of the petals depends on different pigments , such as flavonoids, flavonols or carotenoids. In some cases, the petals can change color over time due to pH variation.
The petals have the function of attracting pollinating agents . According to the number of petals that the flower exhibits, the plant can be classified as monocotyledonous (if the number of its petals is a multiple of three) or dicotyledonous (which have five or four petals).
It should be noted that the petals of the flowers have very varied shapes. Sometimes they are linked forming a kind of cup , while in other cases the appearance is similar to a tube . There are even flowers with very small petals that are classified as apetalous . Apetalous flowers receive pollen from the action of the wind : therefore, they do not need petals to attract pollinators.