HERMAS, in botany: A genus of the monoecia order, belonging to the polygamia class of plants. The umbel in the hermaphrodite is terminal; there is an universal involucre and partial ones. The rays of the small umbels are lobed; the central one flower-bearing; there are five petals, and as many barren stamens; the seeds are two-fold and suborbicular. In the male the lateral umbels have universal and partial involucre; the small umbels have many-flowered; there are five petals, and five fertile stamens.