Staminode

In botany, a staminode is an often rudimentary, sterile or abortive stamen. This means that it does not produce pollen. Staminodes are frequently inconspicuous and stamen-like, usually occurring at the inner whorl of the flower, but are also sometimes long enough to protrude from the corolla.

Grinnell's Penstemon (Penstemon grinellii)
showing a hairy yellow staminode

Sometimes, the staminodes are modified to produce nectar, as in the Witch Hazel (Hamamelis).

Staminodes can be a critical characteristic for differentiating between species, for instance in the orchid genus Paphiopedilum, and among the penstemons.

In the case of Cannas the petals are inconsequential and the staminodes are refined into eye-catching petal-like replacements.