a. Bot. [f. mod.L. anatrop-us, a. assumed Gr. *ἀνατροπος turned upside down (f. ἀνά up + -τροπος, f. τρέπειν to turn) + -OUS.] Said of the ovule of phanerogamous plants when its nucleus, with its integuments, is inverted, so that its apex points to the base of the ovule. Opposed to orthotropous, in which the nucleus is erect within the ovule.
1847. in Craig.
1857. Henfrey, Bot., 130. The anatropous ovule is only an orthotropous ovule with a long funiculus confluent with the outer coat.
1875. Bennet & Dyer, trans. Sachs’s Bot., 501. The usual form of the ovule of angiosperms is the anatropous.
