pistil
/ˈpɪstɪl
/noun Botany
The female organs of a flower, comprising the stigma, style, and ovary.Five pistils were dissected from flowers and the stigmas and styles were mounted on aluminium stubs using carbon paste....
- Most of the flowers have a pistil longer than the anthers.
- In addition, there was a negative correlation between the number of stamens and the number of pistils within female flowers.
Origin
Early 18th century: from French pistile or Latin pistillum 'pestle'.
piston from early 18th century:
The Latin pistullum meant pestle (Middle English) and is the source of the botanical pistil (early 18th century) from its similar shape. From the same source Italian formed pestone for a large pestle or rammer, and this, via French, is the source of piston.