involucre

/'invəlu:kə/ Cách viết khác : (involucrum) /,invə'lu:krəm/

Thân thiện

The bright green involucre cups the base of the purple thistle flower.

Definition

Noun: 1. A whorl or ring of bracts surrounding or subtending a flower cluster or a single flower: In botany, an involucre is a structure composed of one or more whorls of small, leaf-like bracts. These bracts are located at the very base of an inflorescence (a group of flowers) or, less commonly, at the base of a single flower. Its primary function is often protective, shielding the developing flower buds.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • The bright green involucre at the base of the dandelion head is a key identifying feature.
  • Botanists examined the involucre to help classify the species of the wildflower.
  • In plants like members of the carrot family (Apiaceae), the involucre is found at the base of the entire compound umbel.

Advanced Usage

• Involucral (adjective): Pertaining to, resembling, or having the nature of an involucre.
  • The involucral bracts were covered in fine hairs.

Variants and Related Words

• Involucel (noun): A secondary involucre; a small involucre surrounding part of a compound inflorescence, such as the base of a single umbellet within a larger umbel.
• Involucrum (noun): This is a Latin-derived synonym for involucre, though in modern botanical English, "involucre" is the standard term. (Note: In anatomy and medicine, "involucrum" has a different meaning, referring to a sheath of new bone growth).

Synonyms

• Bract collar: A descriptive, non-technical synonym emphasizing the ring-like arrangement.
• Phyllary: A specific term for a bract in the involucre of a flower head in the aster family (Asteraceae).

Related Terms (Contextual)

• Bract: A modified leaf associated with a flower or inflorescence. An involucre is composed of bracts.
• Inflorescence: The complete flower head of a plant including stems, stalks, bracts, and flowers. The involucre is found at its base.
• Calyx: The outermost whorl of a flower, composed of sepals. It is important to distinguish the involucre (made of bracts, below the flower) from the calyx (made of sepals, part of the flower itself).

Học thuật

Noun

1. a highly conspicuous bract or bract pair or ring of bracts at the base of an inflorescence