What Is a Tepal? When Petals and Sepals Look the Same
A tepal is a flower part that’s neither clearly a petal nor a sepal, since the two look alike. NC State Extension describes lily flowers as six identical tepals in two whorls.
The short answer
Most flowers have green sepals outside and colored petals inside. When both rings match, each part is called a tepal. Lilies are the classic case, with six matching tepals in two rings of three. To spot them, count the parts and compare the outer and inner rings.
What is a tepal?
NC State Extension says sepals are small, usually green and leaf like, together called the calyx. Petals are usually the colored part, together called the corolla, and calyx plus corolla is the perianth. A tepal is a perianth part when those two rings match. See cannabis leaf anatomy.
How do tepals differ from petals and sepals?
Petals and sepals differ in color and shape, but tepals don’t. On a lily, NC State notes all six are identical. Some types have recurved tepals that often carry spots.
Which flowers have tepals?
Lilies do, per NC State Extension. Tulips are in the same family, Liliaceae, according to NC State. Monocot flower parts come in multiples of three, which explains the two rings of three. Flowers that draw pollinators are in what roles do bees play in outdoor cannabis and companion plants when growing marijuana.
Flower parts compared
| Part | Look | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Sepal | Small, green | NC State |
| Petal | Colored | NC State |
| Perianth | Calyx plus corolla | NC State |
| Tepal | Six alike on lily | NC State |
Sources: NC State Extension.
How to: step by step
- Pick a tulip or lily flower.
- Count the colored parts.
- Look for two rings of three.
- Compare the outer and inner rings.
- Compare with a rose that has green sepals.
- Note which flowers have look alike parts.
Troubleshooting
Can’t see two rings: parts overlap. Look from below.
Parts differ a lot: petals and sepals. Not tepals.
Flower faded: hard to read. Use a fresh one.
Kind Seed Co shares more flower notes on the blog.
Sources
- Extension Gardener Handbook, chapter 3: Botany, NC State Extension
- Tulipa (tulip), NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
- Lilium (lily), NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
FAQ
Do tulips have petals or tepals?
NC State Extension places tulip in the lily family, and lilies have six tepals. The tulip page itself doesn't use the word tepal.
Are lily petals tepals?
Yes. NC State Extension describes lily flowers as six identical tepals in two whorls.
Do any flowers have green tepals?
Extension sources don't cover green tepals.
Why does the term exist?
The sources do not explain its history. In practice it names parts that cannot be sorted into petals or sepals because they look the same.
Why do lilies have six tepals?
NC State Extension says monocot flower parts come in multiples of three, so two whorls of three gives six.
