Definition
cypselae
noun
- Plural of cypsela; a type of simple dry fruit produced by plants in the daisy family (Asteraceae), consisting of a single seed enclosed in a hardened ovary wall.
Usage: botanical term; technical
Examples
- Sunflower seeds are actually cypselae, not true seeds.
- The dandelion disperses its cypselae by wind.
- Botanists classify the fruits of asters as cypselae.
- Each cypsela in a daisy head contains a single embryo.
- The pappus attached to cypselae aids in seed dispersal.