sarcina

[ sahr-suh-nuh ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

, Bacteriology.

, plural sar·ci·nas, sar·ci·nae [sahr, -s, uh, -nee].

any of several spherical, saprophytic bacteria of the genus Sarcina, having a cuboidal cell arrangement.

Origin of sarcina¹

1835–45; < New Latin, Latin: bundle

Sarcina, sar-sī′na, n. a genus of schizomycetous fungi, in which the cocci divide in three planes forming cubical clumps:—pl.

If in examining a preparation the sarcina grouping appears, that shows three-plane division.

If there are no sarcina, but tetrads or staphylococci (rarely merismopedia), then the division is in two planes.

Used internally for sarcina ventriculi, and externally as an application in skin diseases of fungous origin.

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