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vexillary

1. Of or pertaining to an ensign or standard.

2. (Science: botany) Of or pertaining to the vexillum, or upper petal of papilionaceous flowers.

(Science: botany) Vexilary aestivation, a mode of aestivation in which one large upper petal folds over, and covers, the other smaller petals, as in most papilionaceous plants.

Origin: Cf. F. Vexillaire, L. Vexillarius a standard bearer.