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palea
[ pey-lee-uh ]
noun
plural paleae [pey, -lee-ee].
- a chafflike scale or bract.
- the scalelike, membranous organ in the flowers of grasses that is situated upon a secondary axis in the axil of the flowering glume and envelops the stamens and pistil.
palea
/ ˌpeɪlɪˈeɪʃəs; ˈpeɪlɪə /
noun
- the inner of two bracts surrounding each floret in a grass spikelet Compare lemma 1
- any small membranous bract or scale
palea
/ pā′lēə /
, Plural paleae pā′lē-ē′
- The inner or upper of the two bracts enclosing one of the small flowers within a grass spikelet.
- The chaffy scales on the receptacle of a flower head in a plant of the composite family.
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Derived Forms
- paleaceous, adjective
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Other Words From
- pa·le·a·ceous [pey-lee-, ey, -sh, uh, s], pa·le·ate [pey, -lee-it, ‑-eyt], adjective
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Word History and Origins
Origin of palea1
1745–55; < New Latin, special use of Latin palea chaff
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Word History and Origins
Origin of palea1
C18: from Latin: straw, chaff; see pallet 1
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