palea

American  

[pey-lee-uh] / ˈpeɪ li ə /

noun

plural

paleae

1. a chafflike scale or bract.

2. the scalelike, membranous organ in the flowers of grasses that is situated upon a secondary axis in the axil of the flowering glume and envelops the stamens and pistil.

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palea British  

/ ˌpeɪlɪˈeɪʃəs, ˈpeɪlɪə /

noun

1. the inner of two bracts surrounding each floret in a grass spikelet Compare lemma 1

2. any small membranous bract or scale

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palea Scientific  

/ pā′lēə /

plural

paleae

1. The inner or upper of the two bracts enclosing one of the small flowers within a grass spikelet.

2. The chaffy scales on the receptacle of a flower head in a plant of the composite family.

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Other Word Forms

• paleaceous adjective
• paleate adjective

Etymology

Origin of palea

1745–55; < New Latin, special use of Latin palea chaff

Example Sentences

On the other face of the grain which is towards the palea, the hilum is seen at the base.

From A Handbook of Some South Indian Grasses by Rangachari, K.

The fourth glume is ovate or oblong, rugulose, chartaceous, apex with a distinct mucro concealed in the second and third glumes; palea same as the glume in texture, etc.

From A Handbook of Some South Indian Grasses by Rangachari, K.

Glumes four, second glume broadly fimbriate with hairs; palea of the third glume short and deeply cleft, fourth glume awned 7.

From A Handbook of Some South Indian Grasses by Rangachari, K.

A portion of the spike; 2. the first glume; 3 and 4. the second and third glumes; 5 and 6. the fourth glume and its palea; 7. lodicules, ovary and stamens.

From A Handbook of Some South Indian Grasses by Rangachari, K.

The first and the second glumes are membranous, alike and as long as the third, the second glume is usually epaleate and occasionally with a minute palea.

From A Handbook of Some South Indian Grasses by Rangachari, K.