silique

/si'li:k/

Thân thiện

A farmer holds a long, thin silique from a mustard plant.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A type of dry fruit: A silique is a specific kind of seed capsule, characterized by being long, narrow, and divided into two compartments by a thin central partition. It is the characteristic fruit of plants in the mustard family (Brassicaceae, formerly known as Cruciferae).

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • The botanist identified the plant by its distinctive silique.
  • After flowering, the wild mustard produces a slender silique containing many small seeds.

Advanced Usage

• Botanical Context: The term is used almost exclusively in botanical descriptions to classify and identify plants. A silique is distinguished from a similar, but shorter, fruit called a silicle.
  • The length of the silique is a key diagnostic feature for this species.

Variants and Related Words

• Silicle (noun): A short, broad silique, where the length is less than three times the width.
  • The shepherd's purse plant produces heart-shaped silicules.

Synonyms

• Seed capsule: A general term for a dry fruit that splits open to release seeds.
• Pod: A common, non-technical term for a dry fruit that splits open; a silique is a specific type of pod.

Related Idioms or Phrases

Học thuật

Noun

1. narrow elongated seed capsule peculiar to the family Cruciferae

Từ đồng nghĩa

• siliqua