noun
- Plural of acervulus; small, flask-shaped or cushion-like fruiting bodies produced by certain fungi, especially plant pathogens, that contain spores.
Usage: mycology; botany; technical
Examples
- The fungal acervuli were visible under the microscope as tiny dark structures on the leaf surface.
- Plant pathologists identified acervuli of the anthracnose fungus on the infected fruit.
- The acervuli release spores that spread the disease to nearby plants.
- Under magnification, the acervuli appeared as small, gelatinous cushions embedded in the host tissue.