chalaza

American  

[kuh-ley-zuh] / kəˈleɪ zə /

noun

• chalazas,
  plural
• chalazae
  plural

1. Zoology. one of the two albuminous twisted cords which fasten an egg yolk to the shell membrane.

2. Botany. the point of an ovule or seed where the integuments are united to the nucellus.

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chalaza British  

/ kəˈleɪzə /

noun

1. one of a pair of spiral threads of albumen holding the yolk of a bird's egg in position

2. the basal part of a plant ovule, where the integuments and nucellus are joined

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chalaza Scientific  

/ kə-lā′zə /

• chalazae
  plural

1. One of two spiral bands of tissue in an egg that connect the yolk to the lining membrane at either end of the shell.

2. The region of a plant ovule that is opposite the micropyle, where the integuments and nucellus are joined.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• chalazal
  adjective
• chalazian
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• chalazae
  plural
• chalazas
  plural

Etymology

Origin of chalaza

1695–1705; < New Latin < Greek: hail, lump

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

chalaza chalazae

Seeds few, small, short, plump, oval or roundish, with short beak; chalaza oval or roundish, distinct; raphe narrow, slightly distinct to indistinct.

From Manual of American Grape-Growing by U. P. Hedrick

Seeds two to four, small, notched, short, plump, with very short beak; chalaza narrowly oval, depressed, indistinct; raphe usually a groove, sometimes distinct.

From Manual of American Grape-Growing by U. P. Hedrick

Seeds flattened, shallowly and broadly notched; beak very short; chalaza narrow, slightly depressed with radiating ridges and furrows; raphe a narrow groove.

From Manual of American Grape-Growing by U. P. Hedrick

Seeds two to three, of medium size, plump, smooth, not notched; chalaza oval, distinct; raphe a distinct cord-like ridge.

From Manual of American Grape-Growing by U. P. Hedrick

Therefore in this case the attachment of the funiculus or stalk is about the middle, the chalaza is at one end, the orifice at the other.

From The Elements of Botany For Beginners and For Schools by Asa Gray

A pair of fibrous strands called chalazae anchor the yolk inside the egg, and Geary figured that sundering them would allow the yolk to float to the center.

From New York Times ● Oct. 14, 2012