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cystidium

American  
[si-stid-ee-uhm] / sɪˈstɪd i əm /

noun

Mycology.
  • cystidia
    plural
  1. (in certain basidiomycetous fungi) one of the large, inflated, sterile cells growing between the basidia and usually projecting beyond them.


Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

Etymology

Origin of cystidium

From New Latin, dating back to 1855–60; see origin at cyst-, -idium

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

This species is unique for the dorsal attachment of its stipe to the top of the pileus, and the abundant cystidia covering all surfaces of the fruiting body.

From Salon Apr. 26, 2025

In the family called Hymenomycetes there are mixed with these, and closely packed together, one-celled sterile structures named cystidia.

From Among the Mushrooms A Guide For Beginners by Ellen M. Dallas

The color is light leather color, brick red or bay, the color and color variations being due to numbers of colored cystidia or spicules scattered over the surface of the gills and on the edge.

From Studies of American Fungi. Mushrooms, Edible, Poisonous, etc. by George Francis Atkinson

They are very close allied to M. hiemalis but can be distinguished by the broad, ovate gills bearing cystidia, and smaller spores.

From The Mushroom, Edible and Otherwise Its Habitat and its Time of Growth by Miron Elisha Hard

The long, dark cells are brown cystidia, termed spicules by some to distinguish them from the colorless cystidia.

From Studies of American Fungi. Mushrooms, Edible, Poisonous, etc. by George Francis Atkinson

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