Definition

1. Noun:
   • The nutritive tissue outside the sac containing the embryo in some seeds: In botany, the perisperm is a food storage tissue derived from the nucellus of the ovule. It surrounds the embryo sac and provides nourishment to the developing embryo, particularly in seeds where the endosperm is absent or reduced.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • In plants like beets and coffee, the perisperm serves as the primary nutritive tissue for the seed.
  • The botanist examined the seed structure, identifying the large perisperm surrounding the tiny embryo.

Advanced Usage

• Botanical Context: The term is used almost exclusively in botanical and seed physiology contexts to describe a specific histological structure.
  • The persistence of the perisperm is a characteristic feature in the seeds of many Caryophyllales.

Variants and Related Words

• Perispermic (adj): Relating to or having a perisperm.
  • The seed exhibited a perispermic nutritive tissue.

Synonyms

• Nutritive tissue: A general term for tissue that provides nourishment.
• Storage tissue: A broader term for any tissue that stores nutrients.

Antonyms

• Endosperm: The nutritive tissue formed inside the embryo sac, which is the more common food reserve in angiosperm seeds.

Noun

1. the nutritive tissue outside the sac containing the embryo in some seeds