Pronunciation: [vˈalve͡ɪt] (IPA) 
The word "Valvate" is spelled with a 'v' and pronounced /ˈvælveɪt/. The 'v' sound is made with the top teeth touching the bottom lip, followed by a short 'a' sound like in 'cat', a soft 'l' sound, followed by a long 'v' vowel sound like in 'late'. The final sound is a 't' sound made by touching the top of the mouth with the tongue before releasing it. Valvate means having or resembling valves, typically used to describe plant parts.
Valvate is an adjective used to describe the arrangement or structure of certain plant parts, often referring to the way in which floral bud covers or organs are arranged in relation to one another. Derived from the Latin word "valva" meaning "fold," valvate is used to describe a specific botanical characteristic.
In botanical terms, valvate refers to a condition where plant structures, such as petals or sepals, are arranged in a way that overlaps with one another at the margins but does not fold completely. This overlapping arrangement creates edges that meet but do not entirely obscure underlying structures. Thus, in valvate flowers or buds, the edges of the floral (or bud) parts touch but do not overlap, resulting in a closed yet unfused or fused-together look. This arrangement provides certain plants with a protective covering or enclosure, often seen in flowers while still in the bud stage.
The valvate condition can be observed in a variety of plant structures, including flower buds, calyces (the sepals of a flower), petals, capsules, and other botanical parts. It is often contrasted with other arrangements such as imbricate, where the edges overlap, or contorted, where the edges are twisted or folded, creating an overlapping and tangled appearance.
Overall, valvate represents a specific arrangement of botanical structures, characterized by overlapping yet unfused or fused-together edges.
In bot., opening by valves, like the parts of certain seed-vessels which separate at the edges of the carpels.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
The word "valvate" derives from the Latin word "valva", which means "a folding door" or "a valve". The Latin word is related to the verb "valere", meaning "to be strong" or "to be well". In botanical terms, "valvate" is used to describe an arrangement in which the edges or lobes of a corolla, calyx, or anther are touching but not overlapping, resembling the way folding doors or valves close.
