rachilla

American  

[ruh-kil-uh] / rəˈkɪl ə /

noun

Botany.

rachillae plural

1. a small or secondary rachis, as the axis of a spikelet in a grass inflorescence.

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rachilla British  

/ rəˈkɪlə /

noun

1. (in grasses) the short stem of a spikelet that bears the florets

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rachilla Scientific  

/ rə-kĭl′ə /

rachillae plural

1. The stalk that bears the florets in the spikelets of grasses and similar plants, such as rushes and sedges. The rachilla often has a zigzag shape, with florets at each point at which the orientation of the rachilla turns.

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Other Word Forms

Inflected Forms

noun

• rachillae
  plural

Etymology

Origin of rachilla

1835–45; < New Latin, diminutive of rachis rachis

Example Sentences

These consist typically of a short axis, the rachilla, almost or quite concealed by several chaffy bracts.

From The Plants of Michigan Simple Keys for the Identification of the Native Seed Plants of the State by Gleason, Henry Allan

The spikelets are one-or more-flowered, sessile, 1- or 2-seriate on the rachis, and somewhat sunk in cavities; the rachilla is jointed at the base and is produced beyond the flowering glumes, glumes awned or not.

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

Spikelets are panicled, 1-flowered, laterally compressed, with the rachilla jointed above the empty glumes, 3-glumed.

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

Spikelets are 2-flowered, narrow, biseriate, unilateral, imbricate on the rachis of a solitary spike; the rachilla is elongate between the flowering glumes and produced beyond them and terminates in a rudimentary awned glume.

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

It is attached to the axis of the flower and its back is towards the rachilla.

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