cypsela

American  

[sip-suh-luh] / ˈsɪp sə lə /

noun

Botany.

cypselae plural

1. an achene with an adherent calyx, as in the composite plants.

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cypsela British  

/ ˈsɪpsɪlə /

noun

1. the dry one-seeded fruit of the daisy and related plants, which resembles an achene but is surrounded by a calyx sheath

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cypsela Scientific  

/ sĭp′sə-lə /

cypselae plural

1. A type of dry fruit consisting of an achene with a closely adhering calyx, the characteristic fruit of the aster family. Dandelions produce cypselae in which the plume, or pappus, is actually a modified sepal.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• cypselae
  plural

Etymology

Origin of cypsela

1865–70; < New Latin < Greek kypsélē hollow vessel, chest, box