nucellus

American  

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

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

Nouns

• nucelli
  plural

Etymology

Origin of nucellus

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

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

nucellus

A young ovule consists of a conical nucellus surrounded by a single integument terminating as a two-lipped micropyle.

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

The hilum or base of the seed, and the chalaza or base of the nucellus are united by means of the raphe r.

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

The base of the nucellus is indicated by the chalaza ch, while the apex is at the micropyle m.

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

A papery remnant of nucellus lines the inner face of the woody shell, and, as in cycadean seeds, the apical portion is readily separated as a cap covering the summit of the endosperm.

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