 Epigyny

Epigyny is the floral arrangement in which the perianth and stamens are inserted above an inferior ovary. It describes the attachment of floral structures relative to the ovary, not whether a flower points upward or downward.^[ref]

A useful observation is a lengthwise section through a flower. Trace the bases of the sepals, petals and stamens toward the ovary. In an epigynous arrangement, their attachment lies above it. Turning the specimen upside down does not change these connections, so it does not change epigyny.

The distinction becomes important when the hypanthium forms a cup. A cup surrounding an ovary does not alone establish epigyny: a free superior ovary can also stand inside such a cup. One must inspect attachment and fusion, rather than classify the flower from its outline alone.^[ref]