noun
- Plural of ocrea; tubular or sheath-like structures formed by the fusion of stipules around a stem in certain plants.
Usage: botanical term; plural form
Examples
- The ocreae of the knotweed plant are distinctive papery sheaths encircling the stem.
- Botanists examine the ocreae to help identify species within the Polygonaceae family.
- The presence of ocreae is a key characteristic used in plant classification.
- Young ocreae are often green and become brown as the plant matures.