nucellus

American  

[noo-sel-uhs, nyoo-] / nuˈsɛl əs, nyu- /

noun

Botany.

nucelli plural

1. the central cellular mass of the body of the ovule, containing the embryo sac.

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nucellus British  

/ njuːˈsɛləs /

noun

1. the central part of a plant ovule containing the embryo sac

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nucellus Scientific  

/ no̅o̅-sĕl′əs /

nucelli plural

1. The megasporangium of a seed-bearing plant, located in the ovule. In angiosperms, it is the central portion of the ovule in which the embryo sac develops. In some cases of apomixis (production of seeds without fertilization), cells of the nucellus develop into an embryo.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nucellar
  adjective

Inflected Forms

noun

• nucelli
  plural

Etymology

Origin of nucellus

1880–85; < New Latin, equivalent to Latin nuc- (stem of nux ) nut + -ella -elle

Example Sentences

There are thus two integuments to the nucellus, an outer and an inner.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 10, Slice 5 "Fleury, Claude" to "Foraker" by Various

The nucellus is a cellular tissue enveloping one large cell, the embryo-sac or macrospore.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 2, Part 1, Slice 1 by Various

In Araucaria and Saxegothaea the nucellus itself projects beyond the open micropyle and receives the pollen-grains direct.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 12, Slice 7 "Gyantse" to "Hallel" by Various

The Insemineae include forms in which the nucellus is not developed, and therefore there can be no seed.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 2, Part 1, Slice 1 by Various

The remainder of the nucellus and the integuments of the ovules form the seed-coats.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 11, Slice 3 "Frost" to "Fyzabad" by Various