spongy parenchyma

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noun Botany.

the lower layer of the ground tissue of a leaf, characteristically containing irregularly shaped cells with relatively few chloroplasts and large intercellular spaces.

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Also called spongy mesophyll.

Origin of spongy parenchyma

First recorded in 1880–85

How to use spongy parenchyma in a sentence

The half-circle of bread gets squeezed open to become a pocket like a huge, spongy pita.
The Jersey Shore’s Biggest Weiners Are at Jimmy Buff’s|Jane & Michael Stern|June 15, 2014|DAILY BEAST
But last fall it seemed as if the spongy, sickly-sweet confections would disappear from the face of the earth.
Twinkies Are Coming Back: The Metropoulos Brothers on the Brand|Daniel Gross|April 8, 2013|DAILY BEAST
The tenderloin is rare when soft and spongy, and it becomes firmer as it reaches medium to well done.
The Maori Star Chef Rocking the South Pacific|Lea Lane Stern|April 2, 2011|DAILY BEAST
The wood of the tree pandans is too spongy and soft to make a good material for the construction of houses.
Philippine Mats|Hugo H. Miller

The stone is the soft spongy limestone which abounds on this coast, and I may add, through most of Palestine.
Letters from Palestine|J. D. Paxton
Prepare the crabs by removing the apron and the spongy substance under the shell of each crab.
Woman's Institute Library of Cookery, Vol. 3|Woman's Institute of Domestic Arts and Sciences
With this variety, lift up the points on each side of the back shell and remove the spongy substance that is found under them.
Woman's Institute Library of Cookery, Vol. 3|Woman's Institute of Domestic Arts and Sciences
While such mixtures do not require beating, spongy mixtures, such as omelets and sponge cakes, do.
Woman's Institute Library of Cookery, Vol. 2|Woman's Institute of Domestic Arts and Sciences

Scientific definitions for spongy parenchyma

spongy parenchyma

[ spŭn′jē ]

A layer of cells in the interior of leaves, consisting of loosely arranged, irregularly shaped cells that have chloroplasts. The spongy parenchyma has many spaces between cells to facilitate the circulation of air and the exchange of gases. It lies just below the palisade layer. Also called spongy mesophyll See more at photosynthesis.