paraphysis

American  

[puh-raf-uh-sis] / pəˈræf ə sɪs /

noun

Botany, Mycology.

paraphyses plural

1. one of the erect, sterile filaments often growing among the reproductive organs in many fungi, mosses, and ferns.

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paraphysis British  

/ pəˈræfɪsɪs /

noun

1. any of numerous sterile cells occurring between the sex organs of mosses and algae and between the spore-producing bodies of basidiomycetous and ascomycetous fungi

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paraphysis Scientific  

/ pə-răf′ĭ-sĭs /

paraphyses plural

1. One of the erect sterile filaments often occurring among the reproductive organs of certain fungi, algae, and mosses.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• paraphysate
  adjective

Inflected Forms

noun

• paraphyses
  plural

Etymology

Origin of paraphysis

1855–60; < New Latin < Greek paráphysis literally, a growing beside, by-growth, equivalent to para- para- ¹ + phýsis growth, nature; see physic

Example Sentences

Fig. 59.—Longitudinal section through the summit of a small male plant of Funaria. a, aʹ, antheridia. p, paraphysis.

From Elements of Structural and Systematic Botany For High Schools and Elementary College Courses by Campbell, Douglas Houghton

One branched and one unbranched paraphysis of Buellia parasema.

From Ohio Biological Survey, Bull. 10, Vol. 11, No. 6 The Ascomycetes of Ohio IV and V by Hilker, Leafy Jane Corrington